“At the moment, we don’t know if that particular variant is in Berkshire. “They are doing testing in various areas. They started in Kent and in Medway in particular, because Medway’s numbers were skyrocketing. “They did a deep dive and couldn’t find any outbreak or particular age group or particular reason why. “That’s when they started doing sequencing testing and found the variant.” She added: “There’s no change in the way the virus is transmitted. They are not changing any of the guidance.” When the four-week national lockdown ended on December 2, West Berkshire had one of the lowest seven-day infection rates in the country (54.9 cases per 100,000).
SOUTHAMPTON will remain in tier 2 restrictions but other areas of the county will be placed into tier 4, Hampshire County Council has confirmed. Boris Johnson’s u-turn last night put millions of Christmas plans into chaos with new restrictions brought into areas of the county including Portsmouth, Havant and Gosport. But while Southampton remains in Tier 2, the rules around gathering at Christmas have still changed. Three households will be allowed to mix, but only on Christmas day, and these gatherings must not involve people from a Tier 4 area. The Prime Minister announced that from Sunday areas in the South East currently in Tier 3 will be moved into a new Tier 4 – effectively returning to the lockdown rules of November.
SOUTHAMPTON will remain in tier 2 restrictions but other areas of the county will be placed into tier 4, Hampshire County Council has confirmed. Boris Johnson s u-turn last night put millions of Christmas plans into chaos with new restrictions brought into areas of the county including Portsmouth, Havant and Gosport. The Prime Minister announced that from Sunday areas in the South East currently in Tier 3 will be moved into a new Tier 4 – effectively returning to the lockdown rules of November. Non-essential shops, gyms, cinemas, hairdressers and bowling alleys will be forced to close for two weeks – while people will be restricted to meeting one other person from another household in an outdoor public space.
Figures presented to Friday s local outbreak engagement board revealed Covid hospital patient numbers hit just under 250 across Suffolk on Thursday.
A bar chart shown to Suffolk s Local Outbreak Engagement Board on Friday, showing an acceleration in Covid-19 patients occupying beds in our local hospitals
- Credit: SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL/PUBLIC HEALTH SUFFOLK
Mr Keeble revealed that the county had seen a clear jump in the most recent data with around 50 excess deaths - surpassing usual projections from flu and other non-Covid-related illnesses.
He added: This is a serious situation, and if it carries on in this direction, I would suspect we will end up in Tier 3 at some point, because if it continues at that kind of rate, it s going to be taking that up to extremely high levels.
Figures presented to Friday s local outbreak engagement board revealed Covid hospital patient numbers hit just under 250 across Suffolk on Thursday.
A bar chart shown to Suffolk s Local Outbreak Engagement Board on Friday, showing an acceleration in Covid-19 patients occupying beds in our local hospitals
- Credit: SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL/PUBLIC HEALTH SUFFOLK
Mr Keeble revealed that the county had seen a clear jump in the most recent data with around 50 excess deaths - surpassing usual projections from flu and other non-Covid-related illnesses.
He added: This is a serious situation, and if it carries on in this direction, I would suspect we will end up in Tier 3 at some point, because if it continues at that kind of rate, it s going to be taking that up to extremely high levels.