A huge coronavirus outbreak at the University of Kent has more than doubled in size - just one week after recording its highest-ever number of cases.

Figures show 125 students staying on the institution's campuses, which are based in Canterbury and Medway, have tested positive for Covid in the last seven days.

Twenty-six more living in their own accommodation have also contracted the illness, along with two members of staff.

The numbers - which take the uni's case total to 726 - are more than twice as big as its next-largest seven-day figure, which was recorded last week.

A spokesman for the university said: "We have seen an increase in reported cases of Covid-19 among students at our Canterbury campus over the past week.

"As a precautionary measure we immediately cancelled all non-essential on-campus student activity and advised that all students who were able to do so (i.e. after producing a negative test) leave their on-campus accommodation and return home as soon as possible.

"The health and welfare of all our students, staff and visitors to our campus is our number-one priority at all times."

The spokesman has also confirmed that all the reported cases over the last seven days were in the cathedral city.

Meanwhile, just eight positive tests were recorded at Canterbury Christ Church University this week.

The rate among those between 20 and 24 in the Canterbury district now stands at 1,305 diagnoses per 100,000 people - making it the worst-affected age range in the area.

Also, the case rate among in that group is currently the highest recorded at any point during the pandemic.

This comes as Public Health England numbers show diagnoses have risen by 189% across the Canterbury district in the seven days to June 22.

In all, 404 residents have caught the disease - but there remains just one Covid patient in east Kent hospitals.

And no-one has died from the virus since the beginning of April.

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