New Covid hotspots emerged in Three Rivers over Christmas as a more infectious strain of coronavirus spread rapidly across the district.

Dozens of cases were recorded in the district over the festive period, with some wards recording rates equivalent to more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 population.

Recently released government figures show two areas in particular recorded a notable rise over Christmas - Rickmansworth and South Oxhey.

A total of 197 cases were recorded in Rickmansworth in the seven days to December 29 – 75 more than the week before - while 104 were confirmed in South Oxhey, 35 more than the previous seven days.

Other areas where cases are high in the district include Oxhey Hall and Hayling (69), Carpenders Park (76), Leavesden and Garston Manor (83) and Croxley Green (77).

Due to the time it takes people to develop symptoms, get tested, and receive a positive result, it’s likely many of those who became infected did so around the time Hertfordshire was placed into Tier 4, or just before Christmas. 

People aged between 40-54 had the most number of positive cases in Three Rivers between December 22 and 29, with the Hertfordshire County Council dashboard confirming 288 infections in the age group.

Hertfordshire was placed in Tier 4 measures after scientists warned of the rapid spread of a new variant of coronavirus.

The county council warned in December that it has seen a “significant recent spike in cases locally", which has been put down to the new variant of coronavirus.

What is the current situation across the rest of South west Hertfordshire?

Infection rates remain extremely high across south west Hertfordshire.

Below is a list of 20 areas in south west Hertfordshire which recorded the most amount of cases between December 22 and 29. Keep scrolling for a full list of case data in Watford, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, and Dacorum.

The following table shows the number of cases over the same week in every ward in south west Hertfordshire. Areas are shaded in different colours by rates, with the darkest rates areas with an infection rate higher than 800. Use the search box to filter the table by district or to search for a specific town or village.

To see the government coronavirus map, click here

A rise in cases threatens to put further strain on the local NHS in the coming weeks, with West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust already caring for a record 285 Covid patients as of 8am on December 30.

Chief nurse at Watford General Hospital Tracey Carter said: "Sadly we are seeing too many people coming into hospital with Covid-19, more now than in the spring. Please don’t let you or your friends and family be one of them.

"Staff are already working flat out to look after patients and keep services running - but we can’t do this by ourselves.

"We need everyone in Hertfordshire to do their bit and do the right thing by staying at home wherever possible. If you do go out, wash your hands, keep your distance, cover your face, and spend as little time as possible out of your home."