The areas of Derbyshire where Covid is rising fastest

THE Derbyshire areas with the fastest-rising cases of Covid-19 are those not in Tier 2 lockdown restrictions.

This increases pressure for them to be put into Tier 2, which means a ban on different households meeting indoors, including in pubs and restaurants.

Six of the nine Derbyshire districts, including Derby, now have Covid case rates of more than 200 per 100,000 people.

Our hospitals say that cases are spiking in young people and in the elderly. Covid hospital admissions in Derby have tripled in two weeks and case numbers across the county are doubling in around a fortnight.

In the most recent case rate figures, for the week October 13-19, the number of Derbyshire districts with infection rates of more than 200 doubled from three to six – two thirds of the county. Derby itself is now on the brink with 195 cases per 100,000 people.

The districts now at 200 or above are North East Derbyshire (260);

Erewash (250); Bolsover (220); High Peak (201); Amber Valley (201); and South Derbyshire (201).

Bolsover now has the thirdhighest rate in the county but is not in Tier 2 restrictions.

Amber Valley, Bolsover, Derby and South Derbyshire all have case rates higher than Chesterfield (178), which is in Tier 2. However, Chesterfield may only have been moved into Tier 2 due to North East Derbyshire’s higher rate. North East Derbyshire district almost encircles Chesterfield borough and this may have been an aim to prevent it being cut off.

None of the three Derbyshire areas with the largest increases in their case rate week-on-week are in Tier 2 restrictions.

South Derbyshire’s has surged by 86% between October 6-12 and

October 13-19; followed by Amber Valley with a 79% increase and Bolsover with a 73% increase.

Stoke is to be put into Tier 2 restrictions today with a rate of cases of 220 per 100,000 people, along with Coventry on 189.

The majority of Derbyshire exceeds Coventry’s rate, including Derby itself, but most, including the city are in Tier 1, the base level restriction.

In the most recent week of case data (October 14-20), which is subject to change a few days after it is initially reported, Derbyshire as a whole, including Derby, saw 2,150 new Covid cases, up a third on the previous week (October 7-13).

Derby itself has seen 511 cases in the week October 14-20, up a third on the previous week.