Coronavirus cases back on the rise in the Anglia region

After a steady fall in the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the Anglia region there are now signs that new cases are beginning to increase once again.

The latest figures from Public Health England cover the week to Wednesday 2 December when there were 9,285 new coronavirus cases in the Anglia region. That compared to 8,771 cases in the previous week - an increase of 514 or 6%.

Over the same period in England as a whole, new cases declined by 12%.

Cases were rising in Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes, Norfolk and Rutland but still in decline in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Suffolk.

The daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Anglia region since the start of the pandemic Credit: Data from Public Health England

The number of cases per 100,000 in the Anglia region in the week to 2 December was 127.2, which is higher than it was when the second lockdown started on 5 November. It is lower than the infection rate for England which was 148.3.

The number of positive tests varies widely between different areas in the Anglia region.

The highest rate was Basildon in Essex which had 697 cases in the week to 2 December which equates to 372 cases per 100,000 people. The number of positive tests also increased by more than 30% in a week in Basildon.

At the other end of the scale, the lowest rate was in Mid Suffolk with 38.5 cases per 100,000 people. Positive tests fell from 42 to 40 in the week ending 2 December.

Weekly total of coronavirus cases in each county in the Anglia region in the week to 2 December

  • Bedfordshire - 1,027 cases - up 4% compared with the previous week

  • Cambridgeshire - 826 cases - down 5%

  • Essex - 3,054 cases - up 15%

  • Hertfordshire - 1,564 cases - up 12%

  • Milton Keynes - 448 cases - up 20%

  • Norfolk - 902 cases - up 7%

  • Northamptonshire - 934 cases - down 13%

  • Rutland - 32 cases - up 10%

  • Suffolk - 498 cases - up 11%

Bedfordshire is the three unitary authorities of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton. Essex includes Southend and Thurrock and Cambridgeshire includes Peterborough

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in each county in the Anglia region Credit: Data from Public Health England

On Friday, the weekly latest survey of coronavirus levels across England revealed the Eastern Counties had the lowest rate in the country with 1 in 270 testing positive.

The study by the Office of National Statistics covered the period to the 28 November and it estimated that more than 520,000 people across England had coronavirus in that week or 1 in 105 people.

Below is the latest update of the rolling seven-day rate of new cases of Covid-19 for every local authority area in the Anglia region.

The figures, for the seven days to Wednesday 2 December, are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community. The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

The list is based on Public Health England data published on Sunday 6 December on the Government’s coronavirus dashboard. Data for the most recent four days (3-6 December) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

The highest rate in the Anglia region is in Basildon with 372.3 cases per 100,000.   Mid Suffolk is currently recording the lowest infection rate in the Anglia region with 38.5 cases per 100,000.

Coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in each local authority area of the Anglia region in the week to Wednesday 2 December (with the previous week in brackets)

  • Basildon - 372.3 (285.3)

  • Luton - 275.1 (268.0)

  • Harlow - 228.6 (221.7)

  • Brentwood - 223.3 (175.3)

  • Epping Forest - 217.2 (173.1)

  • Thurrock - 212.8 (211.7)

  • Broxbourne - 212.8 (193.3)

  • Peterborough - 203.2 (208.6)

  • Castle Point - 182.6 (173.7)

  • Watford - 178.1 (122.2)

  • Milton Keynes - 166.3 (138.8)

  • Northampton - 160.7 (179.4)

  • Southend - 158.9 (115.8 )

  • Rochford - 156.8 (122.5)

  • East Hertfordshire - 151.6 (113.5)

  • Hertsmere - 147.7 (133.4)

  • Stevenage - 133.2 (93.3 )

  • Norwich - 133.0 (111.7)

  • Three Rivers - 128.6 (136.1)

  • Ipswich - 124.2 (154.8)

  • Wellingborough - 123.0 (115.4)

  • Kettering - 120.9 (124.8)

  • Gt Yarmouth - 119.8 (74.5)

  • Broadland - 117.8 (107.0 )

  • Fenland - 108.0 (106.0)

  • Bedford - 107.3 (112.5)

  • East Northants - 105.8 (122.7)

  • Chelmsford - 104.8 (103.1)

  • South Northants - 104.8 (151.3)

  • St Albans - 103.7 (109.1)

  • Dacorum - 103.4 (102.7)

  • Daventry - 102.4 (117.5)

  • Welwyn Hatfield - 101.6 (104.0)

  • South Norfolk - 100.8 (115.7 )

  • Braintree - 97.0 (122.5)

  • North Herts - 95.1 (90.6)

  • Maldon - 94.0 (60.1 )

  • King's Lynn and West Norfolk - 91.2 (89.8)

  • Corby - 90.0 (124.6)

  • Central Bedfordshire - 88.3 (75.9 )

  • Colchester - 88.3 (68.3)

  • Uttlesford - 85.4 (81.1)

  • Rutland - 80.1 (72.6)

  • Babergh - 79.3 (97.8)

  • East Cambs - 67.9 (65.7)

  • North Norfolk - 67.7 (88.7)

  • Breckland - 65.0 (58.6)

  • Cambridge - 64.9 (77.7)

  • Tendring - 61.4 (64.1)

  • East Suffolk - 50.9 (58.9)

  • West Suffolk - 49.1 (37.4)

  • South Cambs - 48.4 (47.1)

  • Huntingdonshire - 48.3 (59.6)

  • Mid Suffolk - 38.5 (40.4)

The Anglia region consists of the East of England counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk along with Northamptonshire, Rutland and Milton Keynes