Watford is among areas in England that have recorded some of the largest rises in coronavirus cases in a week, government data shows.
The town has the highest infection rate of all districts across Hertfordshire, recording a rate of 47.6 cases per 100,000 population in the seven days to April 3.
This is a jump from a rate of 29 in the previous seven days, with the increase putting it among the top five areas across the country with the biggest week-on-week rises in cases.
A government map shows where more cases are being recorded in the town, with there having been a rise in several neighbourhoods in the seven days to April 2.
These include Stanborough (4) Nascot Wood (7), Cassiobury (3), North Watford (6) and Central Watford (11).
Below you can see the latest cases for each neighbourhood in Watford:
Latest data shows Three Rivers is the only other area in Hertfordshire to have seen rise in its infection rate, with the rate jumping from 27.9 cases per 100,000 population in the seven days to March 27 to 37.5 in the week to April 3.
However, Jim McManus, Hertfordshire’s director of public health, has said people should expect an increase in case numbers after every step of the government’s road map out of lockdown, with restrictions gradually easing over the coming weeks.
And all districts in Herts are currently seeing infection rates under 50, which is much, much lower than what they were at the start of lockdown.
Below you can see the latest infection rates for your area:
Speaking about coronavirus cases as lockdown eases, Mr McManus said during a press conference on April 7: “We don’t think it (cases) will be large enough to call it a surge, you might get a spike in younger adults and we are expecting it over the first three or four weeks of step two as people will be socialising more and let their guard down and the key thing is for them not to."
He added: “There will be a small increase in numbers but if we do what we have been doing over the last few months we can keep that increase very small.”
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