This is the news from the latest update of the government s cluster map. This shows cases in the seven days leading up to last Friday, December 18, with the most recent five days left off due to incomplete data not reflecting the true number of cases. The sharp rise has led to today s announcement that Cornwall is being placed under Tier 2 restrictions as of Boxing Day (December 26), following concerns over a new variant of the virus spreading across the country.
READ NEXT: Earlier Mr Hancock said action was needed in the south west where there were early signs of the new variant and where cases are rising.
The number of coronavirus clusters in Cornwall has doubled in three days and the seven-day total has more than 100 extra cases recorded. On Wednesday s updated government map there were 20 cluster areas, but as of 4pm last night (Saturday, December 19) that number had risen to 40 clusters. It also marks a stark reversal from a week ago, when both cases and clusters were on decline, with just 14 areas reporting cases on the government map last Saturday, December 12. At the same time, the number of weekly cases has risen to 251 cases, from 148 on Wednesday and only 109 on December 12 - an extra 142 cases week-on-week.
As of yesterday evening there were 148 weekly cases, compared to 137 a week ago and 109 on Saturday s map. The current figures relate to cases recorded in the seven days leading up to December 11, with the most recent five days left off due to incomplete data not reflecting the true number of cases. It represents a rolling rate of 25.9 cases per 100,000 people, compared to 19.1 cases per 100,000 people on Saturday and 24.0 cases per 100,000 last Wednesday. The map shows positive cases by Middle Super Output Area - the name the government gives to the break-up of larger towns and groups of neighbouring towns and villages, with groupings covering a greater area than others.