Tunbridge Wells Borough has recorded another record rate of new Covid-19 cases, although the latest rise was less than previous days suggesting cases may be nearing a peak as tougher restrictions and school holidays have an effect in reducing transmission.

It is not clear whether full testing and reporting will be in place over Christmas, so this blog will cease tracking the figures for the next week until reporting gets back to normal.

In some more apparently good news, the figures for the three of the worst hit Kent Boroughs (Swale, Medway and Maidstone) fell in the latest weekly reporting period from the day before.

The weekly Tunbridge Wells Borough case rate fell back to just 78 per 100,000 of population on 24th November, but in the month since then has sadly climbed back up – to a new record rate of 454 cases per 100,000 people over the week to December 19th, which is the latest data available. 

The rate in Tunbridge Wells Borough is 35% above the England average. The Tonbridge and Malling Borough case rate is more than twice the England average.

Meanwhile, the latest concern is a new Covid-19 variant discovered in South Africa that appears to be making younger people sicker compared with the original virus.

On Wednesday, it was announced that the areas of Sussex that border Tunbridge Wells would move up from Tier 2 to join the Tier 4 restrictions on Boxing Day.

Here are the latest numbers: (NB slide the display to see all 7 columns of numbers or view in landscape).

	Aug 1	Oct 1	Nov 1	Nov 14	Dec 17	Dec 18	Dec 19
Tun Wells	6	21	53	119	407	436	454	Tun Wells
Tonbridge	3	17	91	202	654	679	683	Tonbridge
Sevenoaks	3	23	99	197	475	496	528	Sevenoaks
Wealden*	5	13	48	125	327	357	367	Wealden*
Swale	11	22	203	619	952	921	884	Swale
Maidstone	6	11	123	236	759	768	752	Maidstone
Medway	n/a	21	144	318	1,045	1,077	1,064	Medway
Bromley	3	34	98	160	596	666	699	Bromley
Rother^	0	43	44	132	603	634	656	Rother^
Hastings	2	34	41	94	897	962	977	Hastings
	Aug 1	Oct 1	Nov 1	Nov 14	Dec 17	Dec 18	Dec 19
Oxford	14	133	139	249	274	295	310	Oxford
Southmptn	2	35	170	228	177	195	216	Southmptn
Bristol	4	43	407	488	157	165	164	Bristol
Nottinghm	8	412	377	263	214	228	229	Nottinghm
Cardiff	2	120	306	160	697	697	702	Cardiff
Cambridge	4	20	147	274	197	200	200	Cambridge
ENGLAND	n/a	101	232	275	306	326	336	ENGLAND
WALES	n/a	102	287	184	649	639	635	WALES

The figures above are confirmed cases per 100,000 of population in the previous 7 days, dated to when the test was taken. 
*Wealden District includes Crowborough & Frant  plus the Sussex bit of Groombridge– still in Tier 2 until Boxing Day when moves to Tier 4
^ Rother District Council includes Ticehurst & Hurst Green – also now in Tier 4

All statistics are sourced directly from:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

All non-essential shops were forced to shut from today in Kent and London after the UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said a new variant Covid-19 virus was “out of control” and it needed to be brought under control.

Mr Hancock said it would be very difficult to keep the virus under control until the vaccine had been “rolled out” and everyone should now act as if they might have the virus.

Tier 4 restrictions were imposed affecting Southborough after the relentlessly increasing tally of Covid-19 cases, which have been reported on this site in recent weeks.

Back on November 17th, the rate hit a peak in Tunbridge Wells of 134 per 100,000 population. Fortunately, it fell back to a weekly case rate of 78 on 24th November, but since then has sadly climbed back up – to a new record rate of 339 cases per 100,000 people over the week to December 14th. 

This is how the trend in Tunbridge Wells Borough looks in a graph:

This is how the trend in Tonbridge and Malling Borough looks in a graph:

This is how the trend for England looks in a graph:

There were 2 more deaths recorded in the week ending 4th December in Tunbridge Wells, taking the total number who have Covid mentioned on their death certificate to 91.

There were 5 deaths recorded in Tonbridge in the latest week, bringing the total deaths of residents of that Borough linked to Covid-19 to 90.

All statistics are sourced directly from:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/