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The 11 UK areas where the COVID infection rate doubled last week

A woman wearing a face mask walks through Manchester. Greater Manchester will be placed under stricter coronavirus controls after last-ditch talks with the Prime Minister aimed at securing additional financial support concluded without an agreement. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
A woman wearing a face mask walks through Manchester. (Getty)

The coronavirus infection rate doubled over the past week in 11 areas across the UK, newly released data has revealed.

The largest increase was recorded in the Kent towns of Folkstone and Hythe, which saw infections go up by 185% between the week ending 15 October and the week ending 22 October.

Despite the shocking rise, Kent remains in Tier 1 of lockdown restrictions.

In fact, of the 11 areas that saw their infections double over the same period, all were in Tier 1 except Chesterfield, which is in Tier 2.

Watch: What could a road map out of coronavirus restrictions involve?

The 11 areas with the highest increases in infection rates across the UK are:

1. Folkestone and Hythe (Kent) – up from 18 to 50 cases – 185% increase

2. South Holland (Lincolnshire) – up from 53 to 143 cases – 172% increase

3. North Warwickshire – up from 92 to 213 – 132% increase

4. Gravesham (Kent) – up from 47 to 102 – 118% increase

5. Isle of Anglesey (Wales) – up from 64 to 139 – 115% increase

6. Chesterfield (Derbyshire) – up from 139 to 296 – 112% increase

7. South Derbyshire – up from 137 to 289 – 111% increase

8. Worcester – up from 73 to 152 – 108% increase

9. Ipswich (Suffolk) – up from 45 to 91 – 105% increase

10. Bolsover (Derbyshire) – up from 144 to 291 – 102% increase

11. Dartford (Kent) – up from 48 to 97 – 102% increase

By contrast, infections rose more steadily in areas currently under Tier 2 and Tier 3 lockdowns.

Chesterfield was worst affected of such areas, with a 112% increase in cases, but the next highest rise was Stoke-on-Trent, also in Tier 2, which only saw an 83% rise.

The biggest Tier 3 rise in cases came in Doncaster, Yorkshire, which recorded 497 new coronavirus cases – a weekly rise of 73%.

New statistics published on Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that more than 61,000 deaths involving coronavirus have now occurred in the UK.

A total of 54,609 of COVID-linked deaths occurred in England and Wales up to 16 October and had been registered by 24 October.

A person wearing a mask and gloves on a bus on Oxford Road in Manchester, as the Government is preparing to impose stringent new coronavirus controls on 2.8 million people after talks with the local leaders for Greater Manchester failed to reach agreement. Leaders have been given until midday on Tuesday to reach a deal, or face unilateral Government action, after 10 days of negotiations failed to reach an agreement. (Photo by Jacob King/PA Images via Getty Images)
A person wearing a mask and gloves on a bus. (Getty)

Separate figures published last week by the National Records for Scotland showed 4,376 deaths involving COVID-19 had been registered in Scotland up to 18 October.

A total of 942 coronavirus-related deaths occurred in Northern Ireland up to 16 October and had been registered up to 21 October, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Together, these figures mean that so far 59,927 deaths have been registered in the UK when COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.

But since these statistics were compiled, a further 1,189 deaths are known to have occurred in the UK, according to the government’s coronavirus dashboard.

It comes as a group of more than 50 Tory backbench MPs wrote to the prime minister calling for a "clear road map" out of lockdown restrictions in northern England.

The group, led by former northern powerhouse minister Jake Berry, urged Johnson to set out a "clear road map" out of lockdown restrictions.

Berry said: "Our constituents have been some of the hardest hit by this virus with many losing jobs, businesses, and livelihoods.

"Never has there been a more pertinent and urgent political and economic case to support people living in the North.

"However, instead of moving forwards on our shared ambitions, the cost of Covid and the virus itself threatens to send the North into reverse."

The ex-minister insisted he was not leading a "revolt" against Johnson, telling BBC Radio 4's Today: "I don't know how it can be a revolt for northern MPs to write to the prime minister to ask to work with him on delivering his exciting manifesto that he has a mandate for from December 2019."

Watch: How will England's three-tier local lockdown system work?

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