Surging case numbers and peak of hospital admissions — this is why we are entering a third lockdown

6 charts that explain why we are in a nationwide lockdown again

Yesterday, prime minister Boris Johnson has announced new England-wide restrictions that will last for at least seven weeks.

Here are 6 charts that show why we are entering a third lockdown.

1. Cases have reached a new daily high

On 4 January 2021, Covid-19 cases have reached a new daily high with 53,180 people testing positive.

The week before the second lockdown, there were on average 19,297 new daily cases in the last seven days. Last week, they were at 48,608 per day — 2.5 times as high.

This also down to a new variant of Covid-19 which is more transmissible, according to a study by The Imperial College.

2. Positive testing rate

With the case numbers increasing, the positive testing rate is going up as well.

The week before the second lockdown, the weekly positive testing rate was at 8.44%, meaning approximately one out of 12 conducted tests was positive.

Now the weekly positive testing rate is at 13.15% (3 January 2021). More than one out of eight tests is positive.

3. England’s areas are affected differently

In some areas, the case rate per 100k is higher than in others.

In the week up to 2 January 2021, case rates in Essex, London and the Isle of Wight were higher than in the rest of the country.

4. Cases are rising in all areas

While the case rates are different in individual areas, they are rising in almost all of England.

315 of 337 local authorities have seen an increase in case rates from 27 December to 3 January compared to the previous week.

Halton, Knowsley, and Barrow-in-Furness have seen the steepest increase.

Case rates went down in only 18 local authorities.

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5. Hospital bed occupancy is at its peak

On 4 January, the day the third lockdown was announced, the hospital bed occupancy was as its peak with 26,626 Covid patients in hospital.

The previous peak was during the first wave in April.

2,310 patients are in mechanical ventilation beds, 571 off from the previous peak in April.

6. Daily deaths in England are rising

As of 4 January 2021, 70,320 people have died either within 28 days of a positive test or with COVID-19 on the death certificate, according to data from the Public Health England.

The number of daily deaths is increasing, with the peak of the current wave on 30 December 2020 when 919 people died within 28 days after getting a positive test result.