So-far, there are 60,733 confirmed cases of
Covid-19 across the UK, while 7,095 people have died from the virus. A list of regions where
coronavirus is most prevalent has now been recorded, based on the number of cases per 100,000 people.
In Newport, there were 286 cases per 100,000 population as of April 7. The city is one of only five areas of the UK with at least 200 confirmed cases of
coronavirus per 100,000.
The other four areas are all in London, with Brent having 248 cases per 100,000, Southwark 224, Lambeth 214 and Harrow 200.
As results are based on the number of confirmed cases in an area, some regions may rank higher because they are carrying out more tests than others.
There is also a lag in the processing and reporting of test results, so the daily figures are not necessary a snapshot of what is happening in real-time.
Along with Newport, other areas of south Wales are reporting some of the highest levels of prevalence in the country, such as Cardiff, with 198 cases per 100,000, Torfaen, at 188, and Blaenau Gwent, with 174.
While in England there are levels of prevalence outside London that are well above 100 cases per 100,000. As of April 7, the highest is in Cumbria with 161 cases per 100,000, followed by Sheffield at 152 and Walsall on 136.
These levels could be influenced by the volume of testing in these parts of the country – particularly in Sheffield, where the council has acknowledged there is more testing taking place than in other areas.
No area of mainland Scotland has yet reached similar levels of prevalence to Wales or London.
The area covered by the Borders NHS health board has the highest prevalence of the virus with 129 cases per 100,000 people, followed by Tayside at 124 and Dumfries & Galloway on 102.
Shetland has 42 confirmed cases as of April 7, among a population of 23,000 – equivalent to 183 cases per 100,000 people.
Prevalence is also lower across Northern Ireland, with Belfast recording the highest number with 116 cases per 100,000. This is followed by Lisburn & Castlereagh with 99 and Ards & North Down with 65.
Dr Frank Atherton, the chief medical officer for Wales, suggested last month that the high number of cases in the country could be partly to do with increased testing by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which is responsible for this part of cities which topped the list.
He said: ‘There has been a lot more testing in Aneurin Bevan and so the fact we’ve been doing more testing has led to an increase in the number of cases identified.’
Dr Atherton also noted that ‘being on the border with England is an issue’ with ‘hotspot’ London having direct rail links to Welsh areas seeing high numbers of cases.
