Record Covid-19 infection rate in Cambridgeshire for Christmas, as case numbers soar over 6,700
Cambridgeshire heads into Christmas with by far the highest number of Covid-19 cases among its population seen at any point in the pandemic to date, leaving thousands of families forced to isolate from one another.
Provisional data shows 6,762 people have tested positive for the virus in the week to December 24 as the highly transmissible Omicron variant extends its grip.
It represents a huge rise during December - for comparison, in the week to November 30, there were 3,522 cases.
Below, we look in detail at every area of the county to see how it has been affected.
Confirmed figures for the week to December 19 show 6,136 cases in the county, up 1,772 - a massive 40.6 per cent - on the previous week.
This meant the infection soared to 933.7 cases per 100,000 people - close to the national average of 934.2. Nationally, cases have risen 48.2 per cent and a huge 122,186 tested positive on Christmas Eve, taking the weekly total to 707,306.
Examining the age profile of cases in Cambridgeshire shows rises in most age groups above 15, but particularly large spikes among those in the 20s and early 30s.
The infection rate is now highest among those aged 25-29 in the county.
Cambridgeshire, excluding Peterborough, has now recorded:
- 98,792 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 4,137 in the five days from December 20-24 according daily case data, which is subject to change
- 910 deaths by December 17 within 28 days of a positive test, with one on December 18, two on December 10, three on December 9 and one on December 8
- 1,089 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
Hospitalisations
The numbers of Covid patients in hospital are beginning to go up, although the vaccination programme has so far prevented the kind of rise seen in earlier waves.
Addenbrooke’s had 46 patients on its Covid wards on Christmas Eve, with 11 in critical care and 15 awaiting Covid-19 test results.
The 14 admitted on December 19 was among the joint highest, with December 6, seen since February.
Royal Papworth Hospital had 11 Covid patients on December 21, including nine on ventilation beds.
Vaccinations
There have now been 1.39 million vaccinations administered in Cambridgeshire.
Some 353,476 people have now had a booster in the county, amid the drive to offer one to all those aged 18 and over by the end of the year. This represents 53 per cent of the over-12 population.
Some 80.9 per cent have had a first jab and 74.8 per cent have had a second.
Two vaccination centres - at The Grafton in Cambridge and Queensgate in Peterborough - will open on December 27 and 28, with others opening on December 29. Find out more about that here.
Cambridge
Cambridge witnessed a huge rise in Covid-19 cases in the seven days to December 19, recording by far its highest number of cases in a week.
There were 6,136 cases, up 1,772 (40.6 per cent) on the previous week, which had itself set a record for the city.
The infection rate of 933.7 cases per 100,000 people was above the national average.
In Trumpington, case numbers shot up from 129 in the previous week to 224, while 208 were recorded in Central and West Cambridge, up from 108. Most areas recorded more than 100 cases, with the fewest - 89 - seen in King’s Hedges.
Provisional data suggests the record has been broken again in the last few days, with 1,722 cases in the week to December 22.
Cambridge has recorded:
- 19,311 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 880 in the five days from December 20-24, according daily case data, which is subject to change
- 110 deaths by December 24 within 28 days of a positive test, the most recent of which was on December 22
- 151 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
South Cambridgeshire
Record Covid-19 case numbers were also recorded in South Cambridgeshire, where 1,646 cases were confirmed in the seven days to December 19, up 440 (36.5 per cent) on the previous week.
For the first time, the infection rate in the district went into four figures, reaching 1,023 cases per 100,000 people.
Worst hit were Papworth, Caxton and Fen Drayton, with 114, up from 91, Linton and Balsham, with 103, up from 64, and Hardwick and Highfields, with 102, up from 73.
Provisional figures suggest the district headed into Christmas with an unwanted new record - there were 1,810 cases in the week to December 24, daily case data indicates.
South Cambridgeshire has recorded:
- 23,709 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 1,104 cases in the five days from December 20-24, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 176 deaths by December 24 within 28 days of a positive test, the last of which was on December 18
- 224 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
East Cambridgeshire
Provisional figures show 726 Covid-19 cases recorded in the week to December 23 - a record for the district.
Confirmed data shows 682 cases in the week to December 19, up 213 (45.4 per cent), taking the infection rate to 756.3 cases per 100,000, which is below the national average.
Worst hit was Soham with 106 cases, up from 67 and North Ely, with 94, up from 64.
East Cambridgeshire has recorded:
- 12,442 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 428 cases in the five days from December 20-24, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 101 deaths by December 24 within 28 days of a positive test, the latest of which were on December 10 and 1
- 124 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
Huntingdonshire
Provisional figures show Huntingdon had its highest weekly number of cases of Covid-19 heading into Christmas.
There were 1,844 cases in the week to December 24, the early data shows.
The rolling seven-day number has grown every day since December 16, indicating a worsening trend in the district.
Confirmed figures for the week to December 19 show 1,599 cases, up 408 (34.3 per cent), with an infection rate of 893.4 cases per 100,000 people, which is above the national average.
Worst hit was Brampton, the Stukeleys & the Alconburys, with 139 cases, up from 89 a week earlier, followed by Yaxley and Farcet, with 117 cases.
Huntingdonshire has recorded:
- 28,154 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 1,244 cases in the five days from December 20-24, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 283 deaths by December 24 within 28 days of a positive test, including two on December 9, one on December 2 and two on November 29
- 326 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
Fenland
A record number of people in Fenland also have Covid-19 at Christmas, provisional data suggests.
In the week to December 24, 717 tested positive, daily case data shows.
Confirmed numbers for the week to December 19 showed 526 cases, up 142 (37 per cent) on the previous week, which took the infection rate to 515.3 cases per 100,000 people - below the infection rate.
Whittlesey, with 93 cases, had the highest number.
Fenland has recorded:
- 15,176 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 481 cases in the five days from December 20-24, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 240 deaths by December 24 within 28 days of a positive test, the latest of which were on December 10, 9 and 8
- 264 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
Peterborough
Peterborough also recorded its highest rolling weekly figure for Covid-19 cases on Christmas Eve, according to provisional data.
There were 1,632 cases in the seven days to December 24, it suggests.
Confirmed figures for the week to December 19 show 1,442 cases, up 419 (41 per cent) on the previous week, with the infection rate at 711.7 cases per 100,000 people, which was below the national average.
Worst hit in the week were Hampton Vale, with 128 cases, and Stanground, with 116.
Peterborough has recorded:
- 39,369 confirmed cases since the pandemic began, as of December 24, 2021
- 1,048 cases in the five days from December 20-24, according to daily case data, which is subject to change
- 390 deaths by December 24 within 28 days of a positive test, with the latest on December 15, 11, 9 and 8, two on December 6, one on December 4, two on December 2 and one on December 1
- 431 deaths, as of December 10, in which Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate
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