Covid-19 rates in Norfolk have reached record levels - prompting concerns over the potential impact of staff sickness and isolation in hospitals, schools and shops.

For the seven days up to Tuesday, December 28, the Norfolk case rate was 1,190 cases per 100,000 people. That was up 39pc on the previous seven days.

December 27 saw the first time there had been more than 10,000 cases in a week in the county.

And December 28 marked the first time weekly cases in Norwich had pushed past the 2,000 mark, with 2,019 cases in the seven days leading to that date.

Case rates in Norwich were up just over 14pc, to 1,420 cases per 100,000 people.

The biggest rise in rates was in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, where rates went up 80pc to 996 cases per 100,000 people.

Broadland was just shy of passing the 2,000 cases in a week at 1,979. Rates in the district were up 46pc, to 1,500 cases per 100,000 people.

South Norfolk's rate was up nearly 40pc to 1,332 cases per 100,000, while Great Yarmouth saw a 60pc rise, to 1,226 per 100,000.

Rates in Breckland went up by just over 25pc, to 976 cases per 100,000, while North Norfolk had the county's lowest rates at 828 cases per 100,000 people. However, even there, rates were up by just over 40pc.

Norfolk and its districts remained below the East of England average of 1.456 cases per 100,000 people, with Norwich the county's only district above the England average of 1,385 per 100,000.

The highest case rates across Norfolk were among those aged 25 to 29 (2,402 cases per 100,000) and 30 to 34 (2,307 cases per 100,000).

Rates in East Suffolk went up just over 25pc to 1,160 cases per 100,000 people.

The rise prompted a plea from health bosses for people not to heap pressure on hospital services and to use NHS 111 rather than turning up at A&E departments.

Eastern Daily Press: Cath Byford, chief nurse at the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group.Cath Byford, chief nurse at the Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group. (Image: Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group)

Cath Byford, chief nurse at NHS Norfolk and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group, warned: "Our local health and care services are facing some of the most significant and sustained pressures they have faced in recent years."