Home   Maidstone   News   Article

Coronavirus cases on the rise in Kent with Canterbury seeing the highest infection rate, and Swale the lowest

Covid-19 infections have risen across Kent with three areas now seeing more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people a week.

But hospital admissions remain considerably lower than during previous waves of the virus.

Cases are rising in Kent
Cases are rising in Kent

Canterbury and Maidstone have seen the highest numbers, and Swale and Thanet seeing the lowest.

Over the most recent seven-day period covered by official figures the infection rate per 100,000 people in the county has reached 78.7 up 34.8 from the previous week.

Canterbury is the area to have seen the most new infections, reaching 145.7, up more than 90.7 week-on-week. The figures cover June 19-26.

It comes as the University of Kent has recorded its biggest-ever Covid outbreak on campus, after more than 60 students tested positive for the illness in just one week.

Figures released by the institution, which has bases in both Canterbury and Medway, reveal dozens of young people contracted coronavirus in the last seven days, taking its total number of cases since September to 531.

Following close behind Canterbury is Maidstone which has a case rate of 120.5, while Tonbridge and Malling follows with 107.5

While cases remain high, hospital admissions have stayed low which could be attributed to the vaccine roll-out.

Canterbury has the highest infection rate. Picture: Jo Court
Canterbury has the highest infection rate. Picture: Jo Court

The latest figures show Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust is treating three people with Covid-19, one of which is on a ventilator and East Kent Hospital Trust has no Covid-19 patients at all.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust is treating two patients with the virus.

Medway's case rate remains relatively low at 59.2 but according to the latest figures identifying where the new Delta variant is spreading, 264 cases have been confirmed in the Towns.

On the opposite end of the scale is Swale which only identified 45 cases of the Delta variant.

It is also the borough with the fewest infections at just 30.6 weekly cases per 100,000 people. While that's low, it is still on the rise as those figures are up 10 compared to the previous seven days.

Second from the bottom is Thanet which has 36.6 cases per 100,000 which is up 16.2 while Folkestone recorded a rate of 40.7, which is a rise of 21.2.

Thanet is also the lowest when it comes to the Delta variant with just 30 cases recorded in total.

The figures come as more than 1,253,330 in Kent have had their first dose of the vaccine, and 909,640 people have had their second.

Ashford is leading the way with the vaccination programme with more than 188,140 first doses administered across age groups as of 2pm today. Some 132,160 have had two jabs.

Dover is close behind having given out 174,955 first doses and 115,282 second doses and Thanet is third with 136,484 first jabs, and 77,134 second.

Canterbury, Gravesham and Swale are the areas where the fewest vaccines have been handed out.

There have been 80,292 first doses in Canterbury, and 50,371 in Gravesham.

Swale is again at the bottom of the list with only 1,628 first doses, and 1,542 second doses given across age groups.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More