The Covid hotspots in England where cases are rising ahead of latest Tier updates today

16 December 2020, 07:21 | Updated: 16 December 2020, 07:25

The latest Public Health England data shows areas where the coronavirus cases have risen.

London and much of the South East of England are waking up to tougher Covid restrictions after being put into the highest alert level.

But with the tiers set to be reviewed today, many other towns could be on the brink of new rules too.

Data from PHE shows that last week, 126 out of 315 local authority areas had recorded a week-on-week jump in rates, while that figure is now 222.

Cases are still rising across Hertfordshire and Essex, with Thurrock, Basildon and Broxbourne some of the worst hit.

Swale in Kent currently has the highest rate in England, with 1,083 new cases recorded in the seven days to December 11, which is 721.6 cases per 100,000 people.

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Hastings in East Sussex is also up from 182.4 to 452.2, with 419 new cases, while Ashford in Kent has seen an increase from 241.5 to 549.1, with 714 new cases.

In London, every borough is seeing an increase in cases week-on-week, as well as 42 of the 45 local areas in eastern England, and 66 of the 67 in south-east England.

Latest infection rates also suggests cases have risen in Warrington, Cheshire, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset.

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Meanwhile, it's hoped that Leeds might be downgraded to Tier Two after a drop in rates.

In the Commons on Monday, Labour MP for Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn said cases had fallen from more than 400 per 100,000, to less than 140.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is also hoping his city will be moved down a tier, saying the region had a ‘strong case’ to ease restrictions.

Dorset could also join Cornwall with the lowest restrictions in tier one, as it recorded just 43 infections in the week of December 6.

The tiers are officially reviewed today (Wednesday, 16) and any moves will come into effect from December 19.

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