Rise in coronavirus cases in the Anglia region since lockdown eased

Coronavirus 2-way split screen for testing
There has been a small increase in the number of positive coronavirus tests in the Anglia region. Credit: PA Images

There was a small increase in positive Covid-19 tests in the Anglia region in the week after lockdown measures were eased over the weekend of 4th/5th July.

There was a 5% rise in confirmed coronavirus cases in the area in the week to 10th July compared to the previous week. It is the first weekly increase since the peak of the pandemic in late April/early May.

According to Public Health England, there were 390 positive coronavirus tests in the week to 10th July compared to 371 in the week to 3rd July.

Despite the marginal increase, the figures are dwarfed by the 3,000 confirmed cases a week that were being discovered in the region during the peak of the outbreak.

Pubs, restaurants, cinemas and hairdressers were allowed to reopen on Saturday 4th July although social distancing measures remain in place.

Peterborough, in particular, has seen a big rise in cases although the numbers are relatively small. There were 58 positive tests in the city in the week to 10th July compared with 27 the week before.

Bedford has seen the highest rate of coronavirus infection in the whole of the Anglia region during the pandemic but new cases have declined in the town from 33 in a week to just 15.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was visiting Newmarket Hospital in Suffolk on Friday where he admitted the Covid crisis was not over. Credit: ITV News Anglia

On his first visit back to his West Suffolk constituency since February on Friday, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the coronavirus crisis "isn't behind us, but the peak is."

Mr Hancock was visiting Newmarket Community Hospital where he told ITV News Anglia: "Going back to normal was a long way off."

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 5,800 have died with the disease in the Anglia region or had the condition noted on their death certificate.

There have been nearly 28,000 positive tests although the real number of cases in thought to be many times higher with most people not displaying symptoms.

Surveys suggest up to 6% of the population may have already been infected by coronavirus which would amount to more than 400,000 in the Anglia region.

The map shows the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in each county in the Anglia region since the start of the pandemic. Credit: Data from Public Health England

Matt Hancock said "targeted action" is being taken against more than 100 local outbreaks of coronavirus every week.

The health secretary revealed flare-ups are being “swiftly and silently” dealt with, while he said increased testing means officials can take a more targeted approach rather than imposing national measures.

Some parts of the Anglia region have seen much higher infection rates that others but overall the area has not seen as many confirmed cases per head of population as England as a whole.

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Anglia region per 100,000 people

  • Bedfordshire - 587

  • Cambridgeshire - 416

  • Essex - 362

  • Hertfordshire - 350

  • Milton Keynes - 319

  • Norfolk - 317

  • Northamptonshire - 434

  • Rutland - 232

  • Suffolk - 346

The Anglia region consists of the East of England plus Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes. Bedfordshire is the three unitary areas of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton. Cambridgeshire includes Peterborough and Essex includes Southend and Thurrock.

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