Number of Delta Covid-19 variant cases in Derbyshire triples - with cases of the new strain now in every area of the county

The latest data, up to June 9, now shows at least 215 cases of the so-called Indian variant – now defined as the Delta variant – up from at least 62 last week with at least 149 new incidences in the past seven days.

Every district in the county has now detected at least one case of the variant – with Amber Valley and Bolsover recording their first cases.

New Delta cases make up two out of every three new cases recorded in Derbyshire in the past week – at least 149 out of 231 (65 per cent, up from 21 per cent in the previous week).

Most of the county’s cases fall in the High Peak where there is a significant outbreak in Glossopdale, centred in Gamesley.

The High Peak has now clocked 127 Delta variant cases, triple the 42 it had recorded last week.

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Meanwhile, Derby’s Delta cases have increased from 11 to 26.

Erewash has recorded 15 cases; North East Derbyshire has recorded 14 (up from fewer than five); the Derbyshire Dales has recorded 12 (up from fewer than five); Chesterfield has recorded 11 (up from fewer than five); and South Derbyshire has recorded 10 cases (up from fewers than five).

The precise number of cases for Amber Valley and Bolsover has not been specified, but they are each fewer than five.

Health chiefs have been stressing that it is now a “race to vaccinate” to fend off the spread of the new variant, with several age groups, such as those below 30, either still ineligible for vaccines or having just been granted eligibility.

As of June 6, Derbyshire has now given a single dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to 78.95 per cent of its entire adult population, and 96.92 per cent of its over 50s.

Meanwhile, 58.88 per cent of all adults have had both vaccine doses, along with 88.99 per cent of the county and city’s over 50s.

The Delta variant is 40 per cent more transmissible – it spreads far more easily – and has double the chance of causing a patient to be hospitalised. It reduces the effectiveness of a single dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by around 30 per cent, but the reduction is slight after two doses.

Discussing the Glossopdale spread of the Delta variant, Dean Wallace, Derbyshire County Council’s public health director, said it was clear the outbreak was linked to the areas’ proximity to Greater Manchester.

He said the rise in cases was mainly among younger, unvaccinated people. Many of these residents will still not be eligible for vaccines, rather than having opted out.

Surge vaccinations and testing were carried out in Gamesley over the weekend and past week, with every household receiving testing kits. A total of 948 tests were carried out, of which less than five tested positive, and more than 400 people came along to the pop-up vaccination site.