THE number of coronavirus cases has risen sharply across Worcester and the wider county again, latest data show.

There have been rises in Covid cases in the majority of the county's six districts in the seven days up to December 18 according to Public Health England.

NHS data shows there have been six Covid related deaths recorded for Worcestershire this past week.

New cases in the county were at 3,723 for the week up to December 18, a rise of 19.7 per cent on the previous seven days.

Worcester saw a rise of 5.1 per cent on the previous week, up to 705 cases.

Wychavon, which includes Evesham, Droitwich and Pershore, was up 23.2 per cent to 750 cases.

Malvern Hills saw the biggest rise across the county, up 55.9 per cent to 407 cases.

Bromsgrove had 759 cases recorded that week, a rise of 40.8 per cent.

Wyre Forest, which includes Kidderminster, saw an 18.3 per cent rise, up to 576 cases.

Redditch was the only place to see a fall, with 526 cases that week - a 3.3 per drop.

NHS figures for the week up to December 24 show the six deaths all came at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust with its total moving to 908.

There have been no newly announced Covid deaths at the Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust with its total remaining at 64.

It means in total there have been 972 Covid-related deaths in county hospitals during the pandemic.

The Acute Hospitals Trust covers Worcestershire Royal Hospital, as well as the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital.

Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust covers community hospitals and rehabilitation wards, including Worcester City Impatient Unit, Malvern Community Hospital, Evesham Community Hospital, Pershore Community Hospital, the Princess of Wales Community Hospital in Bromsgrove, Tenbury Community Hospital and the Wyre Forest Ward.

The latest NHS figures show a total of 49 people were in hospital in Worcestershire with Covid-19 on Thursday, December 23, including two people in intensive care.

The latest vaccination figures, up to December 22, show 86.4 per of adults have had a first dose of a Covid vaccine, 80.5 per cent have had two doses, and 60.9 per cent have had a booster.