Number of over 80s with Covid has tripled in Norfolk
The UK's chief medical officers have warned that the NHS could be overwhelmed within 21 days in some areas. - Credit: PA
Coronavirus cases almost quadrupled in Norfolk in December, with rates of infection among older age groups rising by 300pc.
In all, 4,015 new Covid cases were recorded in the week after Christmas, up 380pc from the 848 recorded in the week leading up to December 1.
Over the same period cases almost tripled among the most vulnerable age group of people aged 80 years old and over, jumping from 110 to 317.
Rates of infection in people aged 80-84 rose by 300pc over December, and infection rates among those aged 85-89 and those over 90 years old rose by 197pc and 126pc respectively.
Norfolk-wide rates of infection per 100,000 for people aged 80-84 is now 307.2 and rises as high as 964.7 per 100,000 for people aged 90 or over, though the numbers are smaller in the higher age brackets.
As previously seen, the majority of cases in December appeared in younger age groups. The highest increase of new cases in was in people aged 25 to 29, where the number of new virus infections shot up by 633pc, from 55 to 403.
Public health chiefs have previously said the virus spreads among the younger population before moving on to older age groups.
The new national lockdown was passed into law by MPs on Wednesday in the hope of slowing this spread and containing the newer, more contagious strain of the virus.
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Norfolk-wide two-thirds of all new infections in the week ending December 31 were in the 20 to 60 age range, with people aged 25 to 29 making up the largest percentage of the total, at 10 pc.
The spread of the virus among the more vulnerable age groups varies depending on which local authority area you look at.
In North Norfolk, 30pc of new infections were among people aged 60 or over in the week leading up to December 31, with 9pc falling among the more vulnerable 80 plus age bracket.
In Great Yarmouth, South Norfolk, Broadland, Breckland and King’s Lynn and West Norfolk people aged 60 or over accounted for around 20pc of new cases. Meanwhile it was 15pc in Norwich.
South Norfolk, Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and King’s Lynn all saw around 10pc of new cases fall in the 80 plus age bracket, while in Breckland, Broadland and Norwich that figure was 7pc, 6pc and 5pc respectively.
