Cambridgeshire has more than 4,000 Covid-19 cases in a week amid record highs in Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire has recorded more than 4,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in a week for the first time since the pandemic began.
There were 4,234 cases in the seven days to December 5, up 765 (22.1 per cent) on the previous week.
This unwanted record took the infection rate to 644.2 cases per 100,000 people, well above the national average of 498.
Below, we look in detail at every area of the county to show it has been affected.
Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire have all witnessed a record number of weekly cases.
Cambridgeshire has extended its Enhanced Response Area status until December 24 in an effort to tackle the virus, meaning additional efforts are being made to tackle transmission.
The government agreed the extension amid “significant issues with Covid” in schools.
It means increased intervention in schools will continue until the end of term, including the identification of close and household contacts and daily rapid LFD testing in secondary schools as well as primary settings at the discretion of parents and guardians.
As the Omicron variant continues to spread, prompting the introduction of Plan B restrictions, boosters are now available for those aged 40 and over three months after their second dose, but by appointment only. As of today (December 11), walk-in services are not offering boosters, but concentrating instead on first, second and third primary doses.
The infection rate has grown among all age groups from five to 64, with the exception of 25-29, where the rate was stable week-on-week.
Those aged 10-14 and 5-9 continue to have the highest infection rates, followed by the 40-44 age group.
Cambridgeshire, excluding Peterborough, has now recorded:
- 86,967 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 3, 2021
- 2,570 in the five days from December 6-10 according daily case data, which is subject to change
- 901 deaths by December 3 within 28 days of a positive test, with the most recent on December 1, two on November 29 and one on November 26
- 1,084 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
Hospitalisations
Addenbrooke’s had 37 patients with Covid-19 on its wards on Friday (December 10), five of whom were in critical care. There were 21 inpatients awaiting Covid test results.
It also had 37 on its wards on Tuesday (December 7), when six were in ventilation beds.
The Royal Papworth Hospital had 13 Covid patients on its wards on Tuesday, with nine of those in ventilation beds.
Vaccinations
Some 1,259,392 vaccinations had been given in Cambridgeshire as of December 9.
Official figures show 80.3 per cent of over-12s in the county have had their first Covid-19 vaccination, and 74 per cent have had two doses. More than a third (34.5 per cent) have now had a booster jab.
Some 58.1 per cent of those aged 12-15 have had a vaccination, but less than 70 per cent in the age groups 25-34 have had their first dose.
Meanwhile, ONS data covering the period January 2 to September 24 has shown the effectiveness of being fully vaccinated.
Cambridge
Confirmed cases of Covid-19 rose by more than a fifth in Cambridge in the week to December 5. There were 820 cases, up 144 (21.3 per cent), taking the infection rate to 655.7 cases per 100,000.
This is a record weekly number for Cambridge. The number of cases seen in the first week of December surpasses the previous record set in the first week of January 2021, during the second wave. Thanks to the vaccination programme, this wave has not been nearly as deadly, with no deaths within 28 days of a positive test so far recorded in Cambridge. There were five in November.
Trumpington was for the third week running the area with the highest number of cases, recording 100, compared to 101 the previous week.
Eddington and Castle witnessed a spike in cases, with 85, up from 31, and most areas saw increases.
Cambridge has recorded:
- 16,251 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 10, 2021
- 598 in the five days from December 6-10, according daily case data, which is subject to change
- 109 deaths by December 3 within 28 days of a positive test, the most recent of which were on November 26 and 23
- 151 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
South Cambridgeshire
There were a record 1,201 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in South Cambridgeshire in the week to December 5.
The numbers from the first week of December surpass the 1,050 recorded in the week to November 30, 2020 - the only other time that there have been more than 1,000 cases in a week in the district.
The latest number was up 221 (22.6 per cent) on the previous week and took the infection rate to 746.4, well above the national average.
Meldreth, Melbourn and Great Chishill was worst hit, with 108 cases, up from 90 the previous week, while Cambourne had 98, up from 85. Cottenham, with 22, recorded the fewest.
South Cambridgeshire has recorded:
- 20,509 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 10, 2021
- 686 cases in the five days from December 6-10, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 175 deaths by December 3 within 28 days of a positive test, the last of which were on November 24 and 12
- 223 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
East Cambridgeshire
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in East Cambridgeshire also rose by a fifth in a week, with 529 recorded, up 90 (20.5 per cent) on the previous seven days.
The infection rate was 586.7 cases per 100,000 people, which was above the national average.
Worst hit was Soham, which recorded 125 cases - the highest number seen in any part of East Cambridgeshire in a week since the pandemic began, surpassing the 113 recorded in Soham at the end of October.
North Ely, with 75 cases, was the second worst hit, although this was down from the 82 recorded there the previous week.
East Cambridgeshire has recorded:
- 11,186 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 10, 2021
- 291 cases in the five days from December 6-10, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 99 deaths by December 10 within 28 days of a positive test, the latest of which were on December 1, November 22 and 20
- 122 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire has also witnessed a record weekly number of confirmed Covid-19 cases at the start of December.
The 1,321 seen in the week to December 4 was the highest figure of the pandemic.
Latest figures, for the seven days to December 5, show 1,299 cases, up 272 (26.5 per cent) on the previous week, taking the infection rate to 725.8 cases per 100,000 people.
Huntingdon Central and West, with 91 cases, up from 68, St Neots Eynesbury, with 83 cases, up from 51, were the worst affected.
Huntingdonshire has recorded:
- 24,970 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 10, 2021
- 763 cases in the five days from December 6-10, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 280 deaths by December 10 within 28 days of a positive test, including one on December 2, two on November 29 and two on November 23
- 324 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
Fenland
Fenland witnessed an 11 per cent increase in confirmed Covid-19 cases in the week to December 5. There were 385 cases, up 38, which meant the infection rate was 377.2 cases per 100,000 people, below the national average.
Whittlesey, with 61 cases, up from 31, and Wisbech South and Peckover, with 60 cases, up from 46, were the worst affected.
The latest death within 28 days of a positive test in Fenland was recorded on Wednesday (December 8).
Fenland has recorded:
- 14,051 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 10, 2021
- 232 cases in the five days from December 6-10, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 238 deaths by December 10 within 28 days of a positive test, the latest of which was on December 8
- 264 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
Peterborough
There were 1,028 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the week to December 5, up 104 (11.3 per cent) on the previous week.
This took the infection rate to 507.3 cases per 100,000 people.
Stanground recorded 128 cases, for the second week running, while Hampton Vale had 101, up from 73. Fengate and Parnwell witnessed a significant rise, with 86 cases, up from 47. Werrington, with 14 cases, had the fewest.
Peterborough has recorded:
- 36,562 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 10, 2021
- 598 cases in the five days from December 6-10, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 386 deaths by December 10 within 28 days of a positive test, with the latest on December 8, 6, and 4, two on December 2 and one on December 1
- 421 deaths, as of November 26, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
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