CORONAVIRUS cases in England appear to be creeping up – as 2,800 people are infected with the disease every day, new figures show.

An estimated 1,000 more people are catching Covid-19 every day compared with last week, according to the Office for National Statistics.

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The report, published today, estimates that daily infections have risen from 1,700 to 2,800 in just seven days.

It is based on the current coronavirus infections within the community population and excludes those in hospitals and care homes.

Official figures from the Government differ as they include tests in all settings.

The ONS modelling estimates suggest that one in 2,000 people across England were infected with Covid-19 in the most recent week up to July 19.

That is equivalent to a total of 27,700 people – or 0.05 per cent of the population.

This has risen from the estimated 0.04 per cent (24,000) thought to be infected last week and the 0.03 per cent (14,000) the week before.

'Levelled off'

Heather Bovill, an ONS statistician, said: "Despite decreases in the level of Covid-19 infection from mid-May to mid-June this has slowed in recent weeks and has now levelled off.

"As the Government relaxes lockdown measures, we are closely monitoring these results for any changes."

The data is primarily based on 114,674 swab tests conducted in the six weeks running up to July 19. 

It comes as separate ONS stats, also published today, revealed that the Covid death rate in the North West was double London in June.

Three areas of Kent recorded some of the the highest Covid-19 mortality rates in England last month, new figures show – though the levels were much lower than those seen in parts of the country at the peak of the outbreak.

Ashford saw the highest mortality rate involving Covid-19 in June, with a rate of 36.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

It was followed by Tameside in Greater Manchester (23.9) and then two more local authorities in Kent: Dover and Folkestone & Hythe (both 21.7).

At the height of the coronavirus outbreak in April, parts of London were recording monthly rates that were considerably higher, such as Brent (151.9), Newham (137.8) and Hackney (126.6).

The figures for June reflect the changing impact of Covid-19 in England, as outbreaks become more localised and the virus circulates at a lower level.

North-west England had the highest coronavirus mortality rate of all regions in England last month but at a level of 9.0 deaths per 100,000, down from 27.5 in May.

By contrast south-east England, which includes Kent, saw a rate of 4.9 in June, down from 17.9 in May.

North-east England saw the biggest drop, from 33.5 in May to 7.2 in June.

In London the rate fell from 16.2 in May to 3.1 in June, having peaked at 94.7 in April.

The figures, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), are based on all deaths where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate and which had been registered by July 11.

They show that the area in England with the highest overall Covid-19 mortality rate so far, covering the whole four months from March to June, remains the London borough of Brent, with a rate of 216.6 deaths per 100,000 people.

It was followed by four other London boroughs: Newham (201.6), Haringey (185.1), Hackney (183.3) and Harrow (182.8).

Outside London, the local authorities with the highest mortality rate across this period were Middlesbrough (178.0), followed by Hertsmere (166.7), Salford (166.2), Watford (165.2) and Liverpool (150.4).

Ashford's rate across the four-month period stands at 116.2, with Dover on 86.8 and Folkestone & Hythe on 89.4.

The monthly rate for Ashford has stayed at a comparatively low level, dropping only slightly from 40.7 in April to 36.7 in May and 36.5 last month.

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But the figure for June was high enough for Ashford to top the rankings for local authorities in England.

Separate figures from the ONS show that the local neighbourhood or district in England with the highest number of deaths involving Covid-19 so far is still the area of Crabtree & Fir Vale in Sheffield, which has seen a total of 67 deaths.

It is followed by Bishop Auckland Central & West in County Durham (38 deaths), Church End in Brent (36 deaths), Nascot Wood in Watford (34 deaths) and Cramlington Town & Beaconhill in Northumberland (34 deaths).

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