Coronavirus cases in Watford, Three Rivers, and Hertsmere have risen sharply within the last three or four days, Public Health England figures show.

Infections have been steadily rising for a number of weeks but have picked up over the last few days, with 170 cases reported collectively across the three districts on today’s Government dashboard.

Watford’s mayor Peter Taylor warned this morning that cases were rising in Watford, urging people to get vaccinated "as soon as they can". Government data shows local rises are being driven hugely by people aged 16-25.

The Government has signalled its intent for the British public to "learn to live with Covid" with mask-wearing and social distancing on course to be legally scrapped on July 19.

However, Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, urged the nation to "push hell for leather" to reduce coronavirus infection rates and roll out the vaccines to prevent a significant increase in long Covid.

He also warned in the Downing Street briefing yesterday that vaccines had "weakened" but not "completely broken" the link between cases and hospital admissions.

Another 28,773 cases were recorded in the UK today, including 597 in Hertfordshire.

This included 51 in each of Watford and Three Rivers, along with 68 in Hertsmere, 66 in Dacorum, and 84 in St Albans.

The infection rate in Watford stood at 139.8 cases per 100,000 population in the seven days to July 1 but this will grow with at least 116 cases recorded in the town since.

Around 100 local authorities out of just over 300 had a lower weekly infection rate than Watford.

In the final week of June, cases were spread across the town. The most were recorded in Nascot Wood (19 cases) and Oxhey (17).

In Watford, the vast majority of cases in the final week involved people aged between 10 and 24, but cases were recorded in older age groups too, right up to those in their late 80s.

In Three Rivers and Hertsmere, the highest infection rates have come in those in their late teens and early twenties.

There have been outbreaks in Hertsmere in Bushey Heath, Radlett, Borehamwood, Shenley, and Potters Bar.

The whereabouts and age of those who have tested positive since July 2 will be revealed in the coming days as newer data is published on the Government Covid dashboard.

The table below shows the exact number of Covid cases in your area as well as the number of residents that have been partially or fully vaccinated.

As of June 29, there were 10 Covid patients being cared for by West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, including two patients on ventilation.

The highest number was in January when 349 Covid patients were being cared for at a single time.

The trust has not recorded a Covid death since April 25, with NHS England data running up to July 5.

According to the Government dashboard, the last resident in Watford to die within 28 days of a positive Covid test was on March 30.

It was March 14 in Three Rivers and March 20 in Hertsmere.

Across the three districts, 863 people have died since the pandemic began where Covid-19 appeared on the death certificate.