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"There are hopes England may already have reached &#x27;herd immunity&#x27; as the number of people in hospital with the coronavirus plummets. According to The Times, the number of people in hospital has fallen 96 per cent since the peak of the pandemic. Staff are now treating about 700 patients a day, compared to about 17,000 in April. Dr Ron Daniels, an intensive care consultant in Birmingham, one of the worst hit areas, suggested Britain is “almost reaching herd immunity”.The country&#x27;s death toll has also plummeted by 99 per cent, with five hospital deaths on Thursday last week across England, compared to 866 on April 10. Dr Daniels said it was difficult to say &quot;with precision&quot; what was causing the falls but it was likely due to a combination of factors, including that many of the most vulnerable may have became infected in March and April. The virus may also have become “less angry, less virulent” as it seeks to survive within the population.His views reflect research done by Oxford University - which has not been peer reviewed - that suggests herd immunity may be achieved with as little as 25 per cent of the population infected. This is because people may have innate resistance or cross-protection from exposure to other seasonal coronaviruses."
<https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/coronavirus-australia-live-victoria-qld-nsw-covid19-updates/live-coverage/6112b8febb0cf51b6b5a73b74257af04>