Partying youngsters who are flouting social distancing while down at the boozer are behind the Covid surge, boffins believe.
But kids who have headed back to school over the past week are not fuelling the spike.
The warning came as Boris Johnson imposed a slew of tough new restrictions in an all-out bid to bring the rampaging R rate back under control.
Alarming numbers show that England’s Covid infection rates have rocketed from 12.5 per 100,000 last week, to 19.7 this week.
But the rate is far higher among Brits in their late teens and 20s.
Among 17 to 18 year-olds it stands at a staggering 48.1 per 100,000.
Among 19 to 21 year-olds it is even higher at 54.5, while among 20 to 29 year-old it is 41.6 per 100,000.
But it is no higher among school age children.
Senior scientists fear soaring numbers of Brits will end up in hospital and could even die from Covid unless infection rates are quickly and drastically slashed.
Downing Street is introducing a new law to ban gatherings of more than six people as they scramble to try to contain the virus.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned younger Brits not to “kill granny” by flouting social distancing rules.
And he warned the hundreds of thousands of students heading off to university this week that Fresher’s Week as they know it is banned.
Instead, youngsters must stick to the six person rule rigidly, the warned.
The Health Secretary told LBC big Freshers Week parties are banned.
He said: “Obviously it is not something I would want to do, but unfortunately, yes, because otherwise we know the spread of the disease is going to keep going up and up.
“We know that that leads to more people in hospital and more people dying.”
