The parts of the Anglia region hit hardest by coronavirus

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been far more severe in some parts of the Anglia region compared with others.

The death rate per head of population is ten times higher in some districts of Hertfordshire and Essex than some places in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

Even the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in one area can be vastly different from a neighbouring district.

The highest infection rate in the Anglia region is in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk area which has seen 441 cases per 100,000 people living there.

That area shares a border with East Cambridgeshire which has seen the lowest rate of cases in the East of England with 113 per 100,000 population.

The areas of the Anglia region with the highest coronavirus death rates

  • Hertsmere - 166 deaths per 100,000 population

  • Epping Forest - 133 deaths per 100,000

  • Watford - 111 deaths per 100,000

  • Brentwood - 101 deaths per 100,000

  • Northampton - 97 deaths per 100,000

  • Basildon - 97 deaths per 100,000

  • Tendring - 93 deaths per 100,000

The Tendring area of Essex, which includes Clacton and Harwich, is among the areas with the highest coronavirus death rate in the East of England. Credit: Caitlin Doherty/PA Archive/PA Images

The areas of the Anglia region with the lowest coronavirus death rates

  • Norwich - 13 deaths per 100,000 population

  • South Cambridgeshire - 33 deaths per 100,000

  • South Norfolk - 35 deaths per 100,000

  • Great Yarmouth - 36 deaths per 100,000

  • West Suffolk - 38 deaths per 100,000

  • Peterborough - 38 deaths per 100,000

  • Rutland - 40 deaths per 100,000

Analysis by ITV News Anglia of Office of National Statistics figures for the number of deaths related to coronavirus in the Anglia region indicates 70 people per 100,000 of the population have died in the area up to 22nd May.

That is 17% higher than the figure for deaths up to the 8th May when it was 60 per 100,000.

The Anglia region includes the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Rutland and Suffolk along with the unitary area of Milton Keynes. The population in 2018 was estimated by the ONS at 7.26 million.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Anglia region is lower than many other parts of England. Only the East Midlands and South West regions have seen fewer cases per head than the East of England.

The highest death rates in the Anglia region are in Hertfordshire with 84 per 100,000 population and Essex with 80. Those counties were among the first in the region to see confirmed coronavirus cases.

The lowest death rates in the Anglia region are in Norfolk with 46 people dying with coronavirus per 100,000 population and Cambridgeshire with 47 per 100,000.

It is even lower in Rutland, which is England smallest county with a population of about 40,000. 16 people had died with coronavirus up to 22nd May which equates to 40 per 100,000.

The maps below show the coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases per 100,000 population for each district, borough or city area of the Anglia region.

  • BEDFORDSHIRE & MILTON KEYNES

Bedfordshire has seen 79 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 310 cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

According to the Office of National Statistics, 528 people have died in Bedfordshire with coronavirus since the start of the pandemic until 22nd May.

That is 79 deaths per 100,000 people in the population. There have been 310 confirmed cases per 100,000. The death rate has risen by 20% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

In the unitary council area of Milton Keynes, 187 people have died since the start of the outbreak, which is 70 deaths per 100,000. There have been 190 confirmed cases per 100,000, which is the lowest infection rate in the Anglia region.

The death rate in Milton Keynes has risen by 8% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

Bedfordshire is defined as the three unitary areas of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton.

  • CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough, has seen 47 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 191 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

Cambridgeshire, including the unitary area of Peterborough, is among the areas in the Anglia region with the lowest rate of infection with coronavirus.

In total, 403 have died in the county with coronavirus which is 47 deaths per 100,000 in the population. There have been 191 confirmed cases per 100,000.

The death rate in Cambridgeshire has risen by 24% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

  • ESSEX

Essex has seen 80 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 218 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

Essex, along with Milton Keynes, were the first places in the Anglia region to record a death from coronavirus. A patient died at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford on 2nd March.

Since then the greatest number of people dying with the illness of anywhere in the Eastern Counties with 1,469 people passing away up to 22nd May.

Essex has seen 80 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 218 confirmed cases per 100,000.

The death rate has risen by 13% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

The Essex figures have been calculated including the unitary areas of Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.

  • HERTFORDSHIRE

Hertfordshire has seen 84 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 245 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

Hertfordshire is the county in the Anglia region hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Office of National Statistics, 991 people had died with coronavirus in the county up to 22nd May. Hertfordshire has also seen the highest number of deaths in care homes with 265.

Hertfordshire has seen 84 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 245 confirmed cases per 100,000. The death rate has risen by 12% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

  • NORFOLK

Norfolk has seen 46 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 241 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

Norfolk has so far seen the lowest death rate in the Anglia region in this pandemic but has a relatively high number of confirmed coronavirus cases compared to other counties in the East.

Norfolk has seen 46 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 241 confirmed cases per 100,000.

The death rate has risen by 21% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

The city of Norwich has recorded 18 people dying with Covid-19 since the start of the outbreak which is 13 deaths per 100,000 in the population, among the lowest death rates in the country.

In sharp contrast, the King's Lynn & West Norfolk area has the highest infection rate in the whole of the Anglia region with 441 confirmed cases per 100,000 people. The death rate in that district is also the highest in the county with 86 deaths for every 100,000 people.

  • NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

Northamptonshire has seen 75 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 206 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

There are concerns in Northamptonshire that the impact of coronavirus in the county is not declining as fast as other areas in the UK.

Northamptonshire has seen 75 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 206 confirmed cases per 100,000.

The death rate has risen by 25% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

  • RUTLAND

Rutland has seen 40 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 88 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

Rutland is the smallest county in England with a population just under 40,000.

There have been only 35 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Rutland which equates to 88 cases per 100,000 population. Only four other areas in England have a lower confirmed incidence of Covid-19.

Up to the 22nd May, 16 people had died in the county with coronavirus.

  • SUFFOLK

Suffolk has seen 64 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 200 confirmed cases per 100,000. Credit: Data from the Office of National Statistics and Public Health England

Suffolk is home to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is the MP for West Suffolk.

The county has seen 64 deaths per 100,000 in the population and 200 confirmed cases per 100,000.

The death rate has risen by 16% in the fortnight between 8th and 22nd May.

  • The death rates per head of population have been calculated from the most recently released data from the Office of National Statistics which records deaths up to 22nd May.

  • In this article, no adjustment in the death rate has been made for the age profile of the population in each area, unless stated.

  • The figures for confirmed cases of coronavirus are announced every day by Public Health England and the figures used in this article relate to confirmed cases to 9am on Wednesday 3rd June