Great Yarmouth has overtaken Norwich as the area with the highest coronavirus rate in the county, new figures have shown.

The Public Health England data shows the number of cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days in Yarmouth is at 116.8 moving it above Norwich which has had 114.5 cases per 100,000 in the last seven days up to October 19.

It is the highest figure yet recorded in Norfolk and has seen figures in Yarmouth double from the previous week when they were at 54.4 cases per 100,000.

The statistics come as something of a blow for Yarmouth, which had seen figures reducing in the area, prompting a message of thanks from Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC).

Speaking earlier this month, after figures had dropped to 74.49 per 100,000 people for the period September 30 to October 6, Carl Smith, the council leader, said it had been a “monumental” team effort.

Eastern Daily Press: Great Yarmouth has seen a spike in Coronavirus cases. Picture: Victoria PertusaGreat Yarmouth has seen a spike in Coronavirus cases. Picture: Victoria Pertusa (Image: Archant)

He said: “Working with the county council, other districts, Voluntary Norfolk and other partners, we have led a monumental team effort to get those figures back down, which has been praised at a national level, and I would like to thank everyone involved and especially the community as we continue our critical appeal to take extra care in following the public health advice.”

Mr Smith did however warn people not to get complacent and warned that the virus was still within the community.

The drop in Norwich follows the appointment of a team of Covid-19 support officers as part of a drive to curb Norwich’s surging coronavirus rates.

Figures in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk have also fallen to 37 per 100,000 in the seven days up to October 19 compared to 43.6 per 100,000 the previous week.

But elsewhere in the county it has not been great news.All other local authority areas in Norfolk have shown increases on the previous week.Breckland continues to see an increase every day since October 12 and Broadland saw a leap from 46.6 cases per 100,000 yesterday to 60.4 with 22 new cases in today’s figures.While Broadland has seen 60.4 cases per 100,000 recorded in the seven days to October 19 compared to 33.6 in the previous seven days the week before.There have also been increases in North Norfolk, 40.1 per 100,000 compared to 37.2 and South Norfolk where cases have gone from 39.8 to 58.2 per 100,000.