COVID infections continue to rise across Worcester, Malvern and Wychavon with five areas doubling over the past week.

Overall, cases in the Worcester City Council patch were up by 30 to 268 in the seven days to August 22, a 12.6 per cent increase which takes the rate to 267.3 per 100,000 people.

In Wychavon, which covers Evesham, Pershore and Droitwich, there were 21 more cases, increasing the tally to 313 to take the rate to 238.8 per 100,000.

Cases in Malvern were up 26.8 per cent with 45 more cases taking the weekly tally there to 213, a rate of 268.1 per 100,000 people.

Malvern’s spike was undoubtedly pushed by jumps in specific areas. Here are the five worst-hit areas across the three patches from the past week.

1. Barnards Green – 320 per cent rise

A further 16 cases in the region take the tally to 21

2. Broadway, Wickhamford and Sedgeberrow – 125 per cent rise

An increase of 10 cases takes the total to 18, more than double over the past week

3. Malvern Pickersleigh – 121.4 per cent rise

The cases on this patch are up by 17, meaning a tally of 31 and a rate of 484.6 per 100,000 people.

4. Wick, Elmley Castle and Fladbury – 110 per cent rise

An extra 11 cases take the tally up to 21 in these rural areas and a rate of 296.6 per 100,000.

5. Malvern Link – 100 per cent rise

The 11 cases added to last week’s 11 doubles the cases.

The safest places to be in Worcestershire are Crowle and Tibberton where there are just three cases, a drop of eight, and a rate of 52.9 per 100,000 which is among the lowest across the UK. St Peters in Worcester also has just five cases according to the latest data.

As has been publicised in the national media in recent days, Cornwall and the Scilly Isles have by far the worst rates in the UK with more than 2,540 new infections making for a 114 per cent rise and a whopping rate of 828.5 per 100,000.

North Norfolk is the area with the lowest rates in England with 163.5 positive tests per 100,000 people but cases are up by a third there.