More than a dozen further Delta variant cases identified in Ashfield

More than a dozen further cases of the Delta variant of coronavirus have been recorded in Ashfield new figures reveal.

With cases of the now dominant Delta strain, first identified in India, rising rapidly across England, vaccinations have opened up to all adults in the country in an effort to limit its spread.

Public Health England figures show 37 cases of the Delta variant had been recorded in Ashfield by June 16.

That was 23 more than the 14 cases recorded the week before.

Those identified in the latest week were among at least 3,630 cases of the variant recorded across the East Midlands – the seventh-worst affected of England's nine regions.

The North West continued to have the highest numbers identified, with 29,301 Delta variant cases recorded there.

Separate data shows that while the Delta variant carries a higher risk of hospitalisation than the Alpha – formerly known as the Kent – variant, analysis shows that two doses of a coronavirus jab offer around 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation.

A PHE report shows 806 people had been hospitalised with the Delta variant by June 14 – an increase of 423 compared to the previous week.

Of them, 527 were unvaccinated, and only 84 had received both vaccine doses.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive at the UK Health Security Agency said: "It is encouraging to see that hospitalisations and deaths are not rising at the same rate but we will continue to monitor it closely.

"The vaccination programme and the care that we are all taking to follow the guidance are continuing to save lives.

"Please make sure that you come forward to receive both doses of the vaccine as soon as you are eligible.

"Don’t drop your guard – practise ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ at all times."

The data shows that 75,953 confirmed and probable cases of the Delta variant have now been recorded in the UK – up by 33,630 (79 per cent) on the previous week.

Of those, 70,856 were detected in England, 4,659 in Scotland, 254 in Northern Ireland and 184 in Wales.

The most recent data shows 99% of coronavirus cases across the country are the Delta variant.