OFFICIAL stats have revealed the worst-hit coronavirus areas in the UK.
New data from Public Health England shows which areas have been hit the hardest throughout the pandemic.
Overall, the South West has managed to keep the virus largely under control, with Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset keeping the rate of infection fairly low.
This region has seen up to 259.99 cases per 100,000 people since the outbreak began up until mid-June.
The worst hit areas include Durham, the Midlands and pockets of counties in the North West.
These have all seen more than 601.00 infections from 100,000 residents.
Yorkshire and the Humber has managed to stay in the middle ground, with between 354.00 and 403.99 cases per 100,000 population overall.
And London, despite seeing the largest numbers of cases overall, is not the region which has suffered the most – due to the large population reducing the cases per person.
In recent weeks several areas have seen an alarming spike in cases, with Leicester being forced into a local lockdown.
Other potential hotspots in the north and midlands which could also see their residents moved back into more severe lockdowns have emerged this week.
Data from Public Health England from the week ending June 21 shows Barnsley, Bradford, Rochdale, Bedford, Blackburn with Darwen, Kirklees, Oldham, Rotherham, Tameside and Peterborough are all showing worrying signs of infections rising.
All ten of the midlands and northern towns and counties have now got more than 38 cases per 100,000 people.
Over 70 per cent of cases are now detected through testing outside of hospitals.
At a local authority level, coronavirus is now highest in parts of West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and in Leicester.
PHE and Department of Health sources told Sky News they had 36 Covid hospots in England where lockdowns could be "just days away".
RISING CASES
Health officials are keeping a close eye on these hotspots threatening the UK's fight against the bug.
It comes as the UK has been seeing a general trend of falling cases, after months of lockdown restrictions.
Most areas of the country had been reporting a steady decline in infections, but since mid-June, these 10 spots have seen a rise.
The UK coronavirus death toll rose to 43,906 today, after 176 fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours.
Another 829 infections were also confirmed – although experts fear as many as 3,000 people in England are still catching the bug everyday.
A total of 313,483 have now tested positive for the virus across Britain, according to the Department of Health's official log.
But data released today by Public Health England and Cambridge University, predicts up to 3,000 people are still being infected everyday – including 1,000 per day in the Midlands alone.
It estimated that 5.62million people across the country – or 9 per cent of the population – has already had the virus.
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