Number of new virus infections increases

A TOTAL of 554 new coronavirus cases were confirmed across the city and county yesterday.

The latest Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) statistics showed there have been 220 new cases of Covid-19 in the city and a further 334 cases across the county.

There were 84 new infections registered in Charnwood, which includes Loughborough, and a further 72 in Hinckley and Bosworth.

Elsewhere, there were 56 recorded in Blaby district and 36 new cases in both North West Leicestershire and Harborough.

In Oadby and Wigston, there were 33 new cases, while 17 were registered in Melton.

There were 389 new coronavirus cases recorded on Tuesday and 354 on Monday.

According to the DHSC, eight patients were admitted to Leicester’s hospitals, taking the total number being treated for the virus to 77.

There are 15 people currently on ventilation. There is one Covid-19 patient in county hospitals.

The number of people known to have contracted the virus locally since the pandemic began now stands at an estimated 105,410.

The new cases, updated yesterday at 4pm, mean that the total number of cases across the city and county since the start of the pandemic area by area are:

Leicester: 45,161

Blaby: 9,431

Charnwood: 16,843 Harborough: 7,025

Hinckley and Bosworth: 8,357 Melton: 3,799

North West Leicestershire: 8,694 Oadby and Wigston: 6,100

The latest seven-day infection rates, area by area, are:

Leicester: 347.2 cases per 100,000 (1,230 cases in the seven days) Blaby: 336.9 (342) Charnwood: 276.6 (514) Harborough: 253.7 (238) Hinckley and Bosworth: 272.2 (308) Melton: 191.4 (98)

North West Leicestershire: 296.3 (307)

Oadby and Wigston: 247.3 (141)

Across England there were 288.1 cases per 100,000 (162,187).

The Mercury uses the gov.uk daily dashboard to track and report local cases and rates.