Covid cases on the rise in East Sussex

Public Health England figures show that 4,219 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Tuesday (November 17) in East Sussex, up from 4,147 the same time on Monday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the government’s mass testing programme.

The rate of infection in East Sussex now stands at 757 cases per 100,000 people, far lower than the England average of 2,153.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 20,051 over the period to 1,410,732.

East Sussex’s cases were among the 109,190 recorded across the South East, a figure which rose by 2,026 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.