'Nothing we can put our finger on' - Great Yarmouth sees rise in Covid rate

Coronavirus cases have dropped across almost all of Norfolk for the last seven days in February for which figures are available.

Data from Public Health England shows the only area to record an increase is Great Yarmouth.

For the seven days up to February 17 the infection rate is highest in the resort, where case numbers saw an increase of 8pc on the previous week.

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk saw the biggest drop of 42pc the rate plummeting from 187.6 per 100,000 to 109.7 in seven days.

North Norfolk has the lowest rate of 47.7 after a 28pc drop.

Overall Norfolk's infection rate has dropped week on week by 24pc to 99.3pc per 100,000 - the lowest it has been since December 4.

Norwich has also seen a significant reduction of 38pc, bringing the rate down to 118.1.

All nine districts, including East Suffolk, saw a fall in the weekly rates of coronavirus.

Yarmouth's 8pc increase however sees its rate jump from 129.9 for the week ending February 10 to 140.9 for the next seven days - bucking the trend which shows broadly that the virus is being beaten back by the lockdown and vaccination roll out.

Council leader Carl Smith says he is confident rates will come down in Great Yarmouth after the latest figures recorded a small spike. (Image: Archant)

Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council said although there had been a small spike, the rate across Yarmouth had dropped significantly overall and there was no need for alarm.

He said there was no known cause or specific outbreak fuelling the increase and that he was confident the rate would come down.

"It is going to come down," he said.

"There's no real thing behind it, just that more people are getting tested.

"There's nothing we can put our finger on.

"All we ask is for our residents who have been absolutely fantastic to continue to follow the rules.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel."