Covid cases are set to start rising exponentially again within days, warn experts after hopes were raised by first drop in two months

Today's case numbers mark a 17.8% drop on the number last Thursday and first time they've fallen since May. Another 84 victims announced and 788 hospital admissions, with both up by roughly a third on last Thursday. But experts said while drop in cases is 'positive' it doen't take into account effects of ending curbs on July 19. Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist, said we could see return to exponential growth by end of next week