CASES IN KENT BUCK THE TREND

While the spike in cases across the UK has been sharp, the picture in Kent is much different. Latest figures show that positive tests in the county are actually down 28% weekon-week, and 45% in the last fortnight.

It leaves Kent with an infection rate of 5.9 weekly cases per 100,000 people - compared to a UK average of 44. In Canterbury the rate is even lower - at 4.7 - with just eight new cases reported across the district in the week up to September 21. Across the same period there were 109 positive tests in Kent - down from 151 the week before.

The decrease goes against a trend of spikes seen across the UK - particularly in the north of England.

On Monday, the government’s chief scientific adviser gave stark warnings of what is to come should the rise in UK cases continue at its current rate.

Sir Patrick Vallance said if cases were to double every seven days, the UK could see 49,000 positive tests a day by October 13, and 200 deaths a day in November.

The projection has proved contentious as Public Health England figures do not show cases currently doubling each week.

In the week up to September 22, there were 29,233 new cases in the UK, up from 21,670 the week before - a rise of 35%.

But it has emerged the Government’s projection was in fact calculated using smaller-scale studies conducted by the ONS and Imperial College London.

Each took a random sample of more than 100,000 to track the progress of the virus, estimating a seven-day doubling.