How Swindon compares with the 15 areas in England with the highest Covid infection rates

Public Health England (PHE) have revealed the top towns and cities in England with the highest Covid-19 infection rates based on the seven days up to 31st December 2020, and are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

Of the 315 local authority areas in England,

• 292 (93 per cent) have seen a rise in Covid case rates. Only
• 22 areas (seven per cent) have seen a fall in rates
• one area remains unchanged.

Which areas have the highest infection rates?

Listed are the 15 areas of England that currently have the highest Covid-19 infection rates, based on the latest PHE figures.

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people in the seven days up to 31 December, compared with the previous seven days up to 24 December.

1. Barking and Dagenham – 1476.2 (3,143 new cases) – up from 1106.1 (2,355 cases)
2. Thurrock – 1389.2 (2,422 new cases) – up from 1371.5 (2,391 cases)
3. Redbridge – 1381.9 (4,218 new cases) – up from 1177.5 (3,594 cases)
4. Broxbourne – 1302.4 (1,267 new cases) – up from 1154.4 (1,123 cases)
5. Castle Point – 1302.3 (1,177 new cases) – up from 1240.4 (1,121 cases)
6. Epping Forest – 1289.4 (1,698 new cases) – down from 1452.7 (1,913 cases)
7. Brentwood – 1264.6 (974 new cases) – up from 1503.5 (1,158 cases)
8. Newham – 1257.3 (4,440 new cases) – up from 979.8 (3,460 cases)
9. Harlow – 1251.9 (1,090 new cases) – up from 1024.5 (892 cases)
10. Havering – 1187.8 (3,083 new cases) – down from 1255.2 (3,258 cases)
11. Enfield – 1174.7 (3,921 new cases) – up from 1037.8 (3,464 cases)
12. Dartford – 1159.8 (1,306 new cases) – up from 986.6 (1,111 cases)
13. Bexley – 1157.5 (2,874 new cases) – up from 1131.4 (2,809 cases)
14. Tower Hamlets – 1140.0 (3,702 new cases) – up from 1013.4 (3,291 cases)
15. Gravesham – 1136.2 (1,215 new cases) – up from 978.1 (1,046 cases)

What about Swindon?

Swindon’s rate currently stands at 435.7 per 100,000 with a total of 968 cases confirmed up 423 from Christmas Eve.

Data for the last five days, from 1st to 5th January 2021, has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.