By New city revealed as England’s Covid hotspot
A new city in the north has become England’s worst coronavirus hotspot.
Hull is said to be in “a public health crisis” as coronavirus infection rates in the city are the worst in the country.
The East Yorkshire city has an infection rate of 726.8 cases per 100,000 people – overtaking Oldham which has a rate of 720.8.
Latest figures revealed there were 161 patients with COVID-19 in Hull’s two hospitals on Wednesday.
Julia Weldon, Hull’s director of public health, has urged residents to adhere to coronavirus rules after a sharp rise in cases and hospital admissions.
Speaking on BBC Radio Humberside, Ms Weldon said: “It is a really worrying picture. High stress on the hospital.
“It was a 73% rise in the number of COVID patients in just a week. We are planning for that to be about 400 COVID patients, maybe 500 as a result of the infections rate.”
The areas which recorded the largest week-on-week jumps include Scarborough, North East Lincolnshire, and Melton.
Scarborough saw its rate go from 172.9 cases per 100,000 to 465.3 per 100,000 in seven days.
Before the updated statistics were published, Hull city council chief executive Matt Jukes tweeted today: “Hull’s Covid-19 infections are continuing to rise quickly.
“They are now the third highest in the country at 673 per 100,000, and are expected to be around 715 tomorrow (Thursday).
“It is absolutely vital we all follow the national lockdown guidance and remember – hands, face and space.”