THE pingdemic is in retreat, with the number of people forced to self-isolate down 43 per cent in a week, figures show.

A total of 388,265 alerts were sent to users of the NHS Covid app in the week to July 28, compared with 678,911 the week before.

The system was recently updated to ensure fewer pings.

But the reduction might also be due to many deleting the app.

Meanwhile, data shows the third wave of Covid has peaked and the pandemic is now shrinking.

Figures from King’s College London estimated the R rate, a measure of how fast the virus is spreading, is now around 0.9.

Dr Claire Steves said: “This is the good news the UK has been waiting for. Rates remain high but the signs are very positive.”

By comparison, the average R rate of seasonal flu is 1.28.

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