THE number of new coronavirus cases recorded in the county increase by 40 per cent in a week according to the latest figures.

A total of 1,949 new Covid cases were recorded in Worcestershire in the week up to September 22 – a rise of 40 per cent compared to the week before.

As many as 38 people were in hospital with Covid in Worcestershire on September 21 – the latest day of data available – including two people in intensive care.

Public Health England figures show every part of the county saw a rise in new cases in the week with the number of new infections rising in Bromsgrove by 75 per cent.

A total of 431 new cases were recorded in Bromsgrove in the seven days up to September 22.

New cases also increased in Worcester to 217 – a rise of 13 per cent compared to the week before.

There was a surge in cases in Wychavon, Redditch and Wyre Forest which all saw rises of almost 40 per cent or more.

A total of 394 cases were recorded in Wychavon, which includes Evesham, Pershore and Droitwich, in the week – a rise of 39 per cent compared to the previous week.

As many as 333 cases were recorded in Wyre Forest in the week – a rise of 43 per cent compared to the week before – and a 41 per cent rise saw the number of new cases recorded in Redditch rise to 435.

New cases increased by just under four per cent in Malvern Hills to 139 for the week.

NHS England figures show 425,561 people in Worcestershire have now been vaccinated against coronavirus having received both doses of a vaccine – just over 81 per cent of the county’s population aged 16 and above.

Around 86 per cent of people in the county have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine so far.