Covid cases are on the rise again across Kent - and in one district they have rocketed 70% in a week.

Infections in the county had fallen for four weeks in a row up to the end of February.

But over the space of seven days they have increased 42.9%, with 7,752 new cases recorded.

About one in 10 cases are among people who have been reinfected, according to government stats, as health chiefs say there is an "increasing presence" of a sub-variant of Omicron.

The biggest rise in infections has occurred in Swale, up 70.7%.

There has also been a 60% spike in Dartford and a rise of 55% in Ashford.

But weekly case numbers are still much lower than when the Omicron variant peaked in Kent in late December, when 18,330 infections were recorded.

Are Covid patient numbers rising too?

It is not yet clear what impact the recent increase in cases is having on the number of people with the virus in the county's hospitals.

In east Kent, 114 patients have Covid, down 10 in the past week. Similarly the Dartford and Gravesham Trust has seen a fall from 39 to 36.

But at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust the figure has shot up from 35 to 58, while in Medway it has jumped from 20 to 32.

Hospital bosses say many of these patients are being admitted for conditions other than Covid.

Dr Neil Wigglesworth, executive director of infection, prevention and control for East Kent Hospitals, said: “We continue to see many patients testing positive on admission or early in their hospital stay. Many of these patients are asymptomatic, and are being admitted for reasons other than Covid.

“We are doing all we can to reduce the risk of further transmission in hospital, including continued use of face masks for visitors and patients as well as staff, and strict infection prevention and control procedures.”

Will restrictions return?

Covid infections are on the increase across England and, according to the government-backed REACT-1 study, are at their second highest level since the start of the pandemic.

More than 94,000 volunteers were swabbed between February 8 and March 1 - recording a prevalence of 2.88% or approximately 1 in every 35 people.

While the figure is significantly down on the 4.41% recorded between January 5 and January 20, it remains the second highest result in two years.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), says while England is believed to be behind the peak of the Omicron wave, the pandemic is very much not finished.

"The increasing presence of the BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron and the recent slight increase in infections in those over 55 shows that the pandemic is not over and that we can expect to see Covid circulating at high levels," she said.

However, rising cases are unlikely to result in the return of any restrictions, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson has signalled his intention for the nation to learn to live with the virus. The latest data suggests Covid is now less deadly than flu, thanks to Omicron's milder nature and England's significant immunity through vaccines and infections.

Since the more infectious variant was first recorded in late November, 385 Covid deaths have been recorded in Kent. This is 7.6% of the county's total 4,640 deaths since the pandemic started.

Yet during the same period, the total number of infections recorded in Kent has almost doubled, from 228,476 to 442,266.

Are fewer people reporting test results?

Demand for lateral flow tests soared as the Omicron variant peaked around the turn of the year. Some 77,000 test results - whether positive negative or void - were reported in Kent on January 4.

But that level of testing has now decreased after the need for Covid passes to enter venues was dropped in late January, while the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus was axed on February 24.

About 21,000 people in Kent are still reporting results every day. This is down from 36,000 daily results on February 10.

Of those taking PCR tests, 14% are currently testing positive - the highest proportion since February 7.