Two parts of Kent are among the places in England to see the highest week-on-week increase in the rate of coronavirus cases.

A government map charting Covid-19 infections across the country was referred to by Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van Tam in a briefing this morning.

It showed local authority areas and their respective rates and categorized each from a decrease of more than 40 cases per 100,000 people (dark blue) to an increase of more than 40 (dark brown).

Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells are the only two parts of the county in the latter category, meaning their rate shot up from the week ending Tuesday, September 29 to the week ending Tuesday, October 6.

In the week to September 29 Sevenoaks recorded 28 cases which works out as 23.2 per 100,000 people. In the seven days to October 6 it saw 86 cases, a rate of 71.2.

In Tunbridge Wells there were 25 cases (21.1) in the first week and 76 (64) in the second, a three-fold increase.

A similar map (see below) showing the rates in each area shows Kent's rates are far lower than parts of the north.

Later today Boris Johnson is expected to unveil a new three-tier lockdown system, which will see the toughest measures (similar to a full lockdown) imposed on tier three areas and the lowest (the status quo) imposed on tier one areas.

The data presented above will inform decisions on which rating is applied to different areas, although it is not clear if any particular rate has to be met.

The Evening Standard has already reported London will be subjected to tier two restrictions, meaning a ban on household mixing indoors, as, it is believed, will Manchester.

While the week-on-week increase in Kent is similar to the situation in London, the capital's overall rate of infection is higher.

The map also shows every part of Kent has seen an increase in cases up to October 6. Last week we reported how there had been a seven day increase in cases of 54% in the county.

In more positive news another slide (see above) showing the increase in the rate of cases among the over 60s point to an overall plateau in numbers in Kent.

Tonbridge and Malling and Shepway both saw a decrease of the rate of between 1 and 21 per 100,000. In Maidstone, Medway and Gravesham there was no change and everywhere else saw a slight increase of between 1 and 20.

Only in Tunbridge Wells did the rate among this age group exceed 25 cases per 100,000 but was below 50. Every other area was in the lowest possible category for cases among over 60s.

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