An "almost vertical" graph published by Johns Hopkins University highlights the alarming growth of COVID-19 cases in the UK.
On Tuesday (NZ time), UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed England would return to third nationwide lockdown, with heavy restrictions expected to last until mid-February.
Showing new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million, the graph depicts how cases have skyrocketed in the past month.
New cases are now appearing as a near-vertical line upwards.
Cases in the UK have increased from just over 200 per million people to over 700 in the last month.
The more transmissible new variant of SARS-CoV-2 has surged across the UK in the recent weeks - cases over the last week are up 49.8 percent on the week prior.
The UK reported 58,784 new cases and 407 new deaths on Monday (local time).
The UK's strict lockdown restrictions include a stay-at-home order and the closing of all schools and colleges.
