Covid-19: The areas in England seeing a surge in cases and hospital patient numbers

ITV News Health Editor Emily Morgan has been inside an under pressure NHS hospital to see how the system is coping


Covid-19 case rates are increasing in all parts of England and the prime minister has warned there is "no question" tougher measures are needed to control the virus.

NHS hospitals are under increasing pressure with a rising number of coronavirus patients requiring care.

Most areas around the country are reporting a record number of Covid-19 patients in hospital, beyond the peaks seen in April.

Here's a rundown of the case rate in your area and the number of Covid patients in your local hospitals.

Ambulances wait outside the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London. Credit: PA

London

The capital has the highest regional rate of new cases of Covid-19 in England, and the figure is climbing.

In the seven days to December 30 the rate stood at 934.3 cases per 100,000 people - an increase of nearly 100 from the week before and more than 400 from the beginning of December.

Barking & Dagenham has highest rate in England (1,402.5) and Redbridge has the third highest rate (1,339.7).

Of the top 25 highest local rates in England, 11 are in London.

This is reflected in the record number of patients with Covid-19 in London's hospitals.

A total of 6,358 patients were in hospital in the capital as of 8am on January 3 - more than double the number two weeks ago, and far beyond the peak of the first wave in April when patient numbers rose to 5,201.

The whole of London is in Tier 4.

Eastern England

Eastern England has the second highest regional rate of new Covid-19 cases.

It currently stands at 683.7, up by nearly 100 from a week earlier and more than 300 from the week prior to that.

Six of the top 10 highest local rates in England are in this region - including Thurrock, Epping Forest 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. The whole of eastern England is in Tier 4.

Ambulances lined up outside the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, one of the areas where hospitals have become stretched. Credit: PA

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, followed by Gravesham and Rushmoor.

Some 4,501 patients with Covid-19 were in hospital as of 8am on January 3, an increase of 76% in two weeks and nearly double the peak number of the first wave (2,347).

As with its neighbouring regions, the whole of south-east England is currently in Tier 4.

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, followed by Sandwell and Walsall.

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 beyond the peak of 3,430 in the first wave.

The West Midlands is currently in Tier 4. Worcestershire and Shropshire are in Tier 3, though rates in these areas are now running level with those places in Tier 4.

A lone shopper in a near empty Nottingham city centre. Credit: PA

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, followed by South Northamptonshire and Ashfield.

A record number of patients with Covid-19 are in hospital across the Midlands.

All of the East Midlands is in Tier 4 except for Rutland, which is in Tier 3 and where the rate is currently 215.4.

South West England

South-west England has the second lowest rate of any region at 269.9 cases per 100,000 people. But this is an increase from the weeks before.

Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole has the highest local rate in the region, followed by Swindon and Gloucester.

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.

The region is a mix of Tier 4 and Tier 3 restrictions, although some Tier 3 areas - including Bristol, North Somerset and Wiltshire - have rates higher than neighbouring areas under tougher restrictions.

The Isles of Scilly are in Tier 1.

North West England

The rate of new cases in north-west England has jumped sharply and is at its highest since early November - just after the England-wide lockdown had begun.

The current rate stands at 351.8 for the week to December 30 - up from 223.1 for the week to December 23.

Carlisle currently has the highest local rate in the region, soaring to 765.6 from 332.2.

Burnley and Eden have the next highest rates.

The number of hospital patients across the region is below the peak level seen in mid-November but is up 11% from 2,226 on December 27 to 2,605 on January 3.

All of the region is un Tier 4 aside from the Liverpool City Region which is in Tier 3.

North East England

The rate in this region is also up sharply from 222.9 to 340.5.

Hartlepool has the highest local rate, followed by South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Hospital data for north-east England is combined with the neighbouring region of Yorkshire & 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.

The whole of north-east England is in Tier 4.

Schoolchildren make their way to primary school in Leeds, Yorkshire. Credit: PA

Yorkshire & the Humber

The rate here is the lowest for any region in England - 244.3 cases per 100,000 people, but still an increase from the week before.

Case rates have jumped sharply in some areas. In York the rate is up week-on-week from 218.9 to 428.3 – the highest in the region.

Hospital data is combined with north-east England and shows overall patient levels are still below the peak in mid-November.

Yorkshire & the Humber is the only region entirely in Tier 3.