THERE has been a sharp rise in coronavirus rates in Brighton and Hove

Cases in the city rose by more than 150 per cent in the week ending last Thursday.

The rise comes as Boris Johnson delayed the end of England’s coronavirus restrictions by up to four weeks.

He warned not delaying the easing of restrictions could lead to thousands of deaths and unbearable pressure on the NHS.

In the week ending June 10, 180 cases were found in Brighton and Hove. The previous week, 70 cases were found in the city.

The rate in the city is now 62 per 100,000 residents - slightly lower than the England average of 70.

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What's driving the increase?

Data from Brighton and Hove City Council's website shows a dramatic increase in the number of cases in people aged 15-29.

On June 1, the rate of confirmed Covid cases per 100,000 people in that age range was 38.6. By June 8, the latest data available, that had risen to 87.1.

Delaying lockdown easing will give the NHS more time to deliver crucial Covid-19 jabs, Boris Johnson said as the timeline for Covid-19 vaccines was sped up.

The target of offering jabs to all adults by the end of July has been brought forward to July 19, with those over the age of 23 in England able to book their jab from today.

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What about primary schools?

In the week before last, the greatest increase in the city was seen in children aged 0-14 years.

The rates have remained largely the same since then. The current rate in this age bracket is now 40.4.

The proportion of pupils attending schools dropped in the week before half-term amid concerns about the Delta variant of coronavirus, Government figures show.

Around 88 per cent of state school pupils were in class on May 27, down from 91 per cent on May 20, according to the Department for Education (DfE) statistics.

What about the elderly?

Rates of coronavirus in people aged 60 years or older have remained low since the wave at the start of this year.

The number of people with Covid per 100,000 people in the city is now 1.9, up from 0. This rate has been fluctuating between similar levels for months.

Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told BBC Breakfast there is “very promising evidence” that the vaccines are now beginning to break the connection between the infection and serious illness.

“I do think that we are seeing a position where there are fewer seriously ill people in the context of an increasing number of infections, and that’s extremely encouraging.”

Are people in hospital?

Not many. Government data published on Brighton and Hove City Council's website shows there have been no more than five inpatients admitted with confirmed covid at city hospitals on any single day since April 2.

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When the rate is this low, the virus is deemed "suppressed".

The last time more than five confirmed patients were admitted into intensive care in a single day at either the Royal Sussex County Hospital or the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital was on March 12.