New Covid hotspot emerges in UK as cases up in 299 areas

COVID cases are on the up in 299 places across the UK and this interactive map reveals if your area is on the list.

Cases have fallen in 78 areas across the country with a new hotspot now emerging in Kettering, in the East Midlands.

2

Kettering in Northamptonshire has highest infection rate across the whole of the UK, with 981 new cases in the seven days to September 23 – the equivalent of 959.8 per 100,000 people.

This is up sharply from 488.2 in the seven days to September 16.

One expert highlighted the number of cases in school-aged children in the area.

Senior lecturer in epidemiology at Queen Mary University London, Professor Deepti Gurdasani said the rate of infections was ‘unbelievable’.

Posting to Twitter she said that more than five per cent of all 10-14 year-old are being confirmed as cases in Kettering each week.

“The level of infection is probably even higher than confirmed cases. So many children who could’ve been vaccinated, now being infected, with all its impacts on them and their families”, she highlighted.

Director of public health, Lucy Wightman urged residents to continue to play their part and said regular testing would help prevent school-aged children with the bug from entering educational settings.

Aside from Kettering, Neath Port Talbot in Wales has the second highest rate, up from 833.2 to 914.2, with 1,320 new cases.

Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales has the third highest rate, up from 657.8 to 872.8, with 2,111 new cases.

Cases in Wales have been climbing in recent weeks after a cluster of infections spread across several areas.

West Dunbartonshire has the highest rate in Scotland (689.4) and Mid Ulster has the highest rate in Northern Ireland (512.2).

While these areas have the highest infections rates in the country, Kettering has also seen the biggest week on week rise and cases seem to be spreading across the Midlands.

In the West Midlands, Stafford saw the second biggest jump in the country.

Going from 391 to 723.9 cases per 100,000 and across Staffordshire as a whole, there have been 20 deaths in the last week.

GET YOUR JAB

Melton, in the East Midlands, has also seen a jump, going from 305.5 to 595.5.

Last week it was revealed that walk-in jab centres would be opened for teenagers in the area who have still not been vaccinated against Covid-19.

Also in the East Midlands and North Lincolnshire has witnessed a jump in cases, going from 343.3 to 625.8 cases per 100,000.

The local council in the area is currently engaged in public health campaigns urging teens to get their vaccines.

It has also sympathised with people who are struggling to get back to normal after lockdowns and has insisted that small changes can keep the infection rate down.

The councils ‘OneSmallChange’ campaign, focuses on encouraging people to continue to practise social distancing measures.

Back in the West Midlands and Rugby has also seen an increase in cases, going from 466.3 to 721.2.

As cases continue to rise, data from the government shows that deaths caused by the virus are in decline.

Looking at the death toll from the most recent data and the UK’s coronavirus death toll has fallen by 60 per cent in a month.

A further 40 people died after testing positive for Covid-19 on Monday – an 18-per cent drop on last Monday.

But the number of people testing positive for Covid has slightly risen – after 37,960 cases were seen yesterday.

It marks a rise of 5.6 per cent on last Friday.

2