More than 5,500 cases of the Delta Covid variant, first detected in India, have been identified in the South West.

Of those, 96 have been recorded in Stroud, after the UK saw more than 50,000 new Delta cases in the week ending June 30.

The highest number of Delta cases recorded in the region have occurred in Bristol, with 1035 infections, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with 710 and Cornwall with 547.

The least infections were recorded in West Devon, with 11, South Hams, 22, and North Devon, 29.

Stroud News and Journal:

Above: All daily Covid cases reported in Stroud District // UK Government

How Stroud compares to other areas of the South West

Here are the locations of all the cases of the Delta variant which have been recorded up until June 30 by local authority in the South West:

  • Bath and North East Somerset: 220
  • Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: 710
  • Bristol, City of: 1025
  • Cheltenham: 223
  • Cornwall: 547
  • Cotswold: 73
  • Dorset: 301
  • East Devon: 43
  • Exeter   127
  • Forest of Dean: 64
  • Gloucester: 303
  • Mendip: 32
  • Mid Devon: 42
  • North Devon: 29
  • North Somerset: 185
  • Plymouth: 96
  • Sedgemoor: 64
  • Somerset West and Taunton: 52
  • South Gloucestershire: 357
  • South Hams: 22
  • South Somerset: 48
  • Stroud: 96
  • Swindon: 184
  • Teignbridge: 56
  • Tewkesbury: 172
  • Torbay: 35
  • Torridge: 39
  • West Devon: 11
  • Wiltshire: 394

What does this mean?

Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency said: “Cases across the UK continue to rise and it is incredibly important that we do not forget to be careful.

"The best thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people we love is to get the vaccine if eligible, get tested twice a week and practice “hands, face, space, fresh air” at all times.

“Although cases are rising, we are not seeing a proportional rise in the number of people who are being admitted to hospital."

There are currently 14 people in hospital under the care of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Harries continued: "The data suggest this is testament to the success of the vaccination programme so far and clearly demonstrates the importance of getting both doses of the vaccine. Come forward as soon as you are eligible.

"It will help us to break the chain of transmission, and it will save lives.”

There were more than 27,000 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday and the Delta variant accounts for approximately 95 per cent of them.