THE number of new coronavirus cases recorded in Worcester has increased by nearly 40 per cent in a week according to the latest figures.

A total of 334 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Worcester in the week up to October 14 - a rise of 39 per cent compared to the week before.

Cases remained high in Wychavon, which includes Evesham, Pershore and Droitwich, at 667 - a rise of 27 per cent compared to the previous week.

Wyre Forest also saw another rise to 635 cases for the week, up 11 per cent.

Cases in Redditch were at 504 that week, a seven per cent rise, while Bromsgrove was up eight per cent with 621 during that week.

And cases in Malvern Hills were at 230 during that week, a rise of 26 per cent on the week before.

New cases in Worcestershire rose by 16 per cent in a week to 2,981.

The latest Office for National Statistics figures (ONS) data shows there were eight deaths recorded across 'all settings' in the county in the week up to October 8, where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

One person from Worcester died in a care home. Three people from Wychavon, and two from Wyre Forest died in hospital.

And two people from Redditch died - one at home and one in hospital.

In total 1,427 people have now died from coronavirus in Worcestershire during the pandemic.

Latest figures show as many as 429,757 people in Worcestershire have been vaccinated against coronavirus having received two jabs – almost 78 per cent of those aged 12 and above.

Just over 83 per cent of people have received at least one jab, according to the figures from NHS England.

Meanwhile the government has said it is keeping a “close eye” on a descendant of the coronavirus Delta variant that has reportedly been seen in a growing number of cases.

Downing Street said it was monitoring the AY4.2 variant but insisted there was no evidence it spreads more easily.

Work is under way to test how much of a threat it poses, however experts have said it is unlikely it escapes current vaccines.