Covid cases rise at fastest pace yet

MORE new cases of Covid-19 are being detected in Ashbourne than at any time during the pandemic.

As the Omicron variant continues to surge through the national population, recorded cases in all areas of the Derbyshire Dales are starting to rise sharply, with every ward around the town showing an increase.

In the small, urban ward of Ashbourne South, the latest available data, published up to Monday afternoon, shows there were 90 cases detected in the town, a rise of 44 over last week.

It brings the Ashbourne South ward’s rolling rate measured per 100,000 - to 1,198.9, which is the highest it has ever been by some margin. In the Ashbourne North ward, a larger rural area encompassing villages such as Tissington, Parwich, Kniveton and Biggin, there has been a smaller rise in the last seven days.

Data shows 61 people in the area tested positive for Covid-19, a rise of 20, and it brings the rolling rate to 851.2.

Looking at other neighbouring wards, the sharpest rise has been in Mayfield, Rocester and Bramshall, which saw 50 new cases in the last week, bringing the current total to 88 - with a rolling rate of 1,143.6.

And the smallest rise was in the Hatton and Burnaston ward, which encompasses

Foston. There were 62 cases detected there, a rise of three, and the case rate is now 807.2.

Looking at the wider picture, the Derbyshire Dales has seen 626 new cases in the last seven days, up by 294, and High Peak saw 854, up by 428.

In East Staffordshire there were 886 cases detected and in the Staffordshire Moorlands there were 692.

Derbyshire as a whole now has 7,456 cases, a rise of 3,201 in a week, bringing the rolling rate to a record 923.7.

Staffordshire saw 7,278 cases detected, a rise of 2,177, leaving the county with a rolling rate of 824.1.