Anglia region hits new daily Covid case record with nearly 11,500 positive tests

There were 45,000 new cases of coronavirus in the Anglia region in the week to 29 December with nearly 11,500 in a single day.

The total of 11,463 positive tests was recorded on Tuesday 29 December and was the highest daily total in the area during the pandemic. It was 3,850 cases more than previous highest daily figure of 7,612 on 21 December.

More confirmed cases are likely to be added to Tuesday's total as more tests are processed and included in the totals over the next few days.

On Saturday, the NHS reported 86 patients had died with coronavirus in the region's hospitals - the highest number declared in a single day since April.

The weekly infection rate in the Anglia region is now over 600 cases per 100,000 in the population.

The highest rates are still in Essex at 982 per 100,000 and Milton Keynes at 808 per 100,000 but in Milton Keynes the weekly totals have started to decline.

The infection rate in the Anglia region at the end of December is nearly five times higher than it was at the start of the month.

Cases are now rising fastest in Norfolk and Suffolk, which have both seen an increase of positive tests of 42% in the week to 29 December.

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During December, the NHS has reported 1,239 patients have died with coronavirus in the Anglia region. There were 633 hospital deaths in November.

Over the course of the pandemic, 8,587 people have died with either a positive test for Covid-19 or with the condition listed on their death certificate in all settings in the Anglia region including hospitals care homes and the community.

Since 16 December, the NHS has been treating more patients with Covid-19 in hospitals in the East of England than at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in April.

There were 2,910 coronavirus patients being treated in hospitals in the area on New Year's Day - which is 1,200 more than the highest total in April.

On average, about 300 patients a day are being admitted to hospital in the East of England.

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Weekly total of coronavirus cases in each county in the Anglia region in the week to 29 December

• Bedfordshire - 4,029 cases - up 9% compared with the previous week

• Cambridgeshire - 3,280 cases - up 40%

• Essex - 18,138 cases - up 0.4%

• Hertfordshire - 8,782 cases - up 22%

• Milton Keynes - 2,176 cases - down 8%

• Norfolk - 3,384 cases - up 42%

• Northamptonshire - 2,993 cases - up 34%

• Rutland - 82 cases - up 34%

• Suffolk - 2,587 cases - up 42%

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

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