Virus increases across England
COVID-19 case rates are increasing in all parts of England, along with the number of patients in hospital with the virus.
Here is a region-by-region guide to the latest figures:
South-west England South-west England has the second lowest rate of any region: 269.9 cases per 100,000 people. This is up from 176.3 in the previous week and 124.0 two weeks ago.
Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole has the highest local rate in the region (434.3), followed by Swindon (432.1) and Gloucester (418.2).
Before yesterday’s lockdown came into force, these three areas were in Tier Four, along with most of Gloucestershire and Somerset. The rest of the region was in Tier Three, except the Isles of Scilly, which were in Tier One.
Some former Tier Three areas, such as Bristol, North Somerset and Wiltshire, have rates higher than neighbouring areas that were in Tier Four. There were 1,323 patients in hospital with Covid-19 in south-west England as of 8am on January 3 – a record number and up 20% in a week.
London
London has the highest regional rate of new cases of Covid-19 in England.
In the seven days to December 30, the rate stood at 934.3 cases per 100,000 people, up from 844.3 the previous week, and 531.5 two weeks ago.
Of the top 25 highest local rates in England, 11 are in London. This includes Barking & Dagenham, which has highest rate in England (1,402.5) and Redbridge, which has the third-highest rate (1,339.7).
Hospitals in London have a record number of patients with Covid-19. A total of 6,358 patients were in hospital in the capital as of 8am on January 3. This is more than double the number two weeks ago (3,067 patients on December 20).
During the first wave of the virus, patient numbers peaked at 5,201 on April 9.
The whole of London was in Tier Four before yesterday’s lockdown order came into effect.
Eastern England
Eastern England has the second highest regional rate of new Covid19 cases. It currently stands at 683.7, up from 587.5 a week earlier and 376.6 two weeks ago.
Six of the top ten highest local rates in England are in this region, including Thurrock (1,388.7), Epping Forest (1,302.3) and Broxbourne (1,292.2).
More patients with Covid-19 are in hospitals in eastern England than at any point since the pandemic began.
The number stood at 3,395 as of 8am on January 3, up 74% in just two weeks and far above the first-wave peak of 1,679.
South-east England
The trend here is similar to London and eastern England – a sharp rise in case rates and a record number of patients in hospital.
The seven-day rate for south-east
England currently stands at 609.2 cases per 100,000 people, up from 504.9 a week ago and 356.0 two weeks ago.
Dartford has the highest rate in the region (1,143.8), followed by Gravesham (1,094.1) and Rushmoor (1,088.8).
As with its neighbouring regions, the whole of south-east England was in Tier Four.
Some 4,501 patients with Covid-19 were in hospital as of 8am on January 3, up 27% since last week and an increase of 76% in two weeks.
Patient numbers in south-east England peaked at 2,347 during the first wave of the virus.
West Midlands
Regional case rates are lower in all regions outside the south and east of England, but the numbers have started to climb in recent weeks.
In the West Midlands the rate is currently 389.9, up from 278.3 a week ago and 215.3 two weeks previously.
Wolverhampton has the highest rate in the region (626.1), followed by Sandwell (557.8) and Walsall (488.0).
These areas, along with most of the West Midlands, were, pre-lockdown, in Tier Four. Worcestershire and Shropshire were in Tier Three, though rates in these areas are now running level with those places that were in the highest tier.
Regional hospital data for the West Midlands is published together with the East Midlands. The overall number of patients with Covid-19 across the Midlands was 4,065 as of 8am on January 3. This is a record high, and is a jump of 16% on the previous week and 27% on two weeks ago.
Patient numbers in the Midlands peaked at 3,430 in the first wave.
East Midlands
The rate for the East Midlands currently stands at 325.0 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to December 30, up from 265.8 in the previous week and 214.7 two weeks previously.
Northampton has the highest rate in the region (559.2) followed by South Northamptonshire (486.8) and Ashfield (440.1).
All of the East Midlands was in Tier Four before lockdown, except for Rutland, which was in Tier Three and where the rate is currently 215.4.
A record number of patients with Covid-19 are in hospital across the Midlands.
North-west England
The rate of new cases in northwest England has jumped sharply, up from 223.1 for the week to December 23 to 351.8 for the week to December 30.
The last time the rate was this high was in early November, just after the second England-wide lockdown had begun. Carlisle currently has the highest local rate in the region: 765.6, up steeply from 332.2.
Burnley (670.3) and Eden (585.9) have the next-highest rates. These three areas were in Tier Four, along with the whole of north-west England except for the Liverpool City Region, which was in Tier Three.
Three of the top ten highest rates in the region are currently in the Liverpool City Region, however: Halton (530.9), Wirral (480.8) and Knowsley (454.1).
The number of hospital patients across the region is below the peak level seen in mid-November (3,158), but is up 11% from 2,226 on December 27 to 2,605 on January 3.
North-east England
The rate in this region is also up sharply, from 222.9 to 340.5.
The whole of north-east England was in Tier Four before lockdown.
Hartlepool has the highest local rate (659.8), followed by South Tyneside (409.3) and Sunderland (400.8).
Hospital data for north-east England is combined with the neighbouring region of Yorkshire and the Humber.
Across the whole area, Covid-19 patient numbers stood at 2,710 on January 3 – below the peak of 3,473 in mid-November, but up 11% week-on-week.
Yorkshire & the Humber
The rate here is the lowest for any region in England: 244.3 cases per 100,000 people, up from 191.1 in the previous week.
Yorkshire & the Humber is the only region entirely that was in Tier Three, pre-lockdown, but case rates have jumped sharply in some areas.
In York the rate is up week-onweek from 218.9 to 428.3 – the highest in the region.
The next highest is Richmondshire (up from 178.7 to 372.2), followed by Hambleton (up from 241.3 to 359.2).
Hospital data is combined with north-east England and shows overall patient levels are still below the peak in mid-November.