The 7 worst Covid hotspots right now as cases surge 30% – is your area on the list?
LEEDS is among the worst Covid hotspots as cases rise, new data has revealed.
An interactive map, using stats from the UK Health Security Agency, shows the parts of the UK with the highest infection rates, right now.
There are currently seven Omicron hotspots - where cases are as high as between 500 to 1,000 infections per 100,000 of the population.
The darker your local area the higher cases are, with cases spreading across the country - up 30 per cent in a week, according to the Office for National Statistics' latest infection survey.
Cases have yet to reach breach the 1,000 per 100,000 of the population- mark in any areas of the UK.
The seven most infected local authority areas are:
- Leeds - 830
- Birmingham - 819
- Sheffield - 809
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly - 720
- Wiltshire - 689
- County Durham - 609
- East Riding of Yorkshire - 546
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From the map, you can see how high infection rates in some areas, have spilled over to neighbouring authorities.
For example, the areas surrounding Wiltshire, such as Dorset, South Somerset and Test Valley all have rates of infection between 200 and 500 cases.
A similar pattern can also be seen around Birmingham, with adjoining areas such as Solihull and Sandwell seeing an uptick in cases.
The figures from the UKHSA come after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week revealed that cases had risen by over 30 per cent in just a week.
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However, millions of Brits have now have their coronavirus vaccines and boosters - the best protection from severe illness of the bug.
The Omicron variant, which is currently circulating, has also been proven to be milder than others that came before it.
But experts have this week warned of a new Omicron subvariant that has been detected in Singapore.
Medics have dubbed it 'XBB' and so far it's been found in over 17 countries.
It's not yet clear if the strain has made it to the UK, with surveillance ongoing.
Amesh Adalja, a public-health expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said: "It [XBB] is likely the most immune-evasive [subvariant] and poses problems for current monoclonal antibody-based treatments and prevention strategy.
"Even with immune-evasive variants, vaccine protection against what matters most – severe disease – remains intact."
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In a statement Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections at the UKHSA said: “UKHSA continues to monitor and assess all emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, both in the UK and around the world.
"As we head into winter and cases rise, make sure you have any Covid-19 vaccinations you are eligible for and avoid contact with others if you are unwell or have symptoms of a respiratory infection.”
As medics urge people to come forward for their jabs, campaigners and charities have asked the government to provide a 'life-changing' drug to those who had to shield during the harshest waves of the pandemic.
Many of these people were unable to have a jab due to medical reasons.
Evusheld will give the vulnerable some protection against the virus.
It's made by AstraZeneca and was approved by the medicines regulator in March.
Since then it's also become available in 30 other countries.
Despite its widespread use, the UK government said it won't buy more doses until it has more data.
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This is due to concerns of how well it will work against the Omicron variant that is currently circulating in the UK.
The Department of Health said it's urgently looking into commissioning a clinical trial for the drug.