Covid cases soar as UK braces for harsh winter – infection rates where you live

Covid cases have spiked 14 per cent in a week according to latest data as the country braces for what could be yet another tough winter for many.

In the week leading up to September 23, cases rose by 1,472 as the weather turns colder but deaths with Covid on the death certificate have fallen. Whilst London has often been a hub for infections throughout the pandemic, the latest data for cases shows a number of hotspots springing up around the country, outside of the capital.

According to data from the UK Health Security Agency, the midlands, especially the west midlands, the north west, north east, and parts of southern Scotland are presently worst hit by rising Covid rates. This comes after a new highly mutated variant appeared in the UK in August, leading to the Autumn booster programme being rushed forward three weeks. BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola, caused concern as it was already transmitting within the community, but the UKHSA have also highlighted the dangers of flu this winter.

The east of England and south west have amongst the lowest case rates but have small pockets of rising cases especially around East Hampshire, Gosport and Havant. Wales also has amongst the lowest cases, and only recently recorded its first confirmed Pirola case.

See how your area is affected below

In the midlands, a number of hotspots are emerging, this includes: Worcester, Herefordshire, Chesterfield, Gedling, Walsall and Stafford. Similarly, the north west especially is seeing a similar picture of relatively high case rates in a number of areas. This includes in Liverpool, Blackpool, Fylde, Copeland and Allerdale in Cumbria. The Scottish Borders has the highest rates in Scotland similarly, with rates generally low across the country.

Over the last seven days of confirmed data, running up to September 23, there were over 12,000 confirmed cases but in reality this number is likely far higher. Since the widespread testing apparatus was dismantled it has been more difficult to know just how widespread Covid is.

Hospitalisations have been steadily increasing since July of this year and now stand at just over 3,000 patients in hospital who have Covid. This, from September 22, is up ten per cent on the week prior. The number of deaths per week is down 16 per cent on the week before, but due to the data lag from higher case rates leading to higher hospitalisations and then eventually being seen in higher death rates, it is possible that this rate might rise once more too.

This comes as the number of confirmed Pirola sequences in the UK continues to rise, cementing the British Isles as the heart of the known global outbreak of the subvariant. There are 89 confirmed sequences of BA.2.86 in the UK, more than double the next most prevalent country.

Pirola is currently known to be present in 24 countries, but likely far more widespread given the lack of sequencing and testing in many nations for Covid subvariants.