Sheppey East has highest Covid-19 cases in the country as Swale has second worst infection rate
18:32, 19 November 2020
updated: 06:43, 20 November 2020
A ward in Kent has the highest amount of Covid-19 cases in the country, figures have revealed.
Sheppey East is part of Swale which has been hit hard by the coronavirus in the past few weeks.
Watch: KMTV's report on the rising number of cases
According to government numbers the borough has the second highest infection rate in England and the district ward, home to the Island's three prisons, registering 162 positive cases. Last week, it was revealed that an entire wing at HMP Elmley had been quarantined after a mass outbreak.
Minster South and Iwade and Kemsley are also in the top 10 for the number of positive cases between November 8 and November 14, with the former recording 108 cases and the latter 110.
Borden and The Meads was among recorded the 13th highest amount of cases in the country with 103.
Swale borough reported 957 new cases with its infection rate per 100,000 people rising from 296.5 to 637.7.
It had the biggest week-on-week jump in rates, closely followed by fellow Kent district Thanet which rose from 365.5 to 517.9 while recording 735 new cases.
Thanet is now in the top 10 for the highest Covid-19 infection rates.
Earlier today Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson said the worst hit parts of Kent for the virus were those with "deeply deprived areas".
And earlier this week Swale Council's leader warned residents face a Christmas lockdown if the boroughs rates can't be contained.
Last month Sheppey East councillor Padmini Nissanga said residents on the Island were treating the virus "as a joke".
Schools across the county have already been forced to shut due to the rising number of cases.
Read more: All the latest news from Sheerness
