LONDON, Oct 9, 2020, SPA -- The average daily number of COVID-19 cases in England has doubled in a week, a survey showed on Friday, as scientists warned that action was needed to avert a calamitous and unnecessary spike in deaths, Reuters reported. New cases of COVID-19 in England were around 17,200 per day in the latest week to Oct. 1, compared to 8,400 per day in the previous week, an infection survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, while another population survey said daily infections could be as many as 45,000. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seeking to tackle a second wave of COVID-19 with local measures in an effort to avoid another national lockdown. But the surveys, which feed into government decision-making, paint a bleak picture, and government scientists warned the epidemic was still growing despite a dip in the reproduction number. --SPA 16:09 LOCAL TIME 13:09 GMT 0008 www.spa.gov.sa/w1426181