Five areas where coronavirus cases are rising in England as experts say we're 'past the peak'

4 February 2021, 10:11

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

Only a few areas in the country have recorded slight rises in Covid-19 cases.

After another month in lockdown, Covid-19 infection rates are rising in just five places in England.

According to new government data, of the country's 315 local authority areas, 310 have seen a sharp drop in cases.

The statistics - which cover the seven days up to January 29 and are based on tests carried out in laboratories - show that just five (2%) have seen a rise in case rates.

These areas are East Lindsey, Torbay, Rutland, Hartlepool and North Kesteven which have recorded slight rises.

East Lindsey’s cases have gone up from 98.1 per 100,000, to 130.5, while Torbay has seen a rise from 160.0 to 182.7.

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Rutland’s cases have increased from 180.3 to 200.4 per 100,000 people, and Hartlepool’s cases have risen from 313.9 to 329.9.

North Kesteven has also seen a rise from 181.3 to 186.5.

This comes after Professor Chris Whitty said the UK could be ‘past the peak’ of the second wave of the virus.

Asked if the country was passed the worst of Covid, England's Chief Medical Officer told a press conference: "Most of my colleagues think we are past the peak."

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But he warned that we should still continue to follow strict social distancing rules because numbers could rise again.

He explained: “Now that doesn’t mean you could never have another peak. But, at this point in time, provided people continue to follow the guidelines, we’re on the downward slope of cases, of hospitalisations and of deaths, in all four of the nations of the United Kingdom.

“So I think, we do think, at this point, this peak at least, we are past.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also warned that the NHS is still under ‘huge pressure’ despite over 10million vaccinations now rolled out.

The PM said: “Though today there are some signs of hope – the numbers of Covid patients in hospital are beginning to fall for the first time since the onset of this new wave – the level of infection is still alarmingly high.

“The wards of our NHS are under huge pressure with more than 32,000 Covid patients still in hospital.”

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