THERE have been seven coronavirus deaths recorded at Worcestershire hospitals over the festive period. 

And new data shows how Omicron contributed to a sharp rise in coronavirus cases during Christmas week across the county.

NHS figures reveal there have been seven Covid related deaths recorded for Worcestershire hospitals since Christmas Eve.

The seven deaths all came at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust sites - Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital.

It means the trust's total has moved to 915. There have been no newly announced Covid deaths at the Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust with its total remaining at 64.

It means in total there have been 979 Covid-related deaths in county hospitals during the pandemic.

The latest NHS data also shows a total of 53 people were in hospital in Worcestershire with Covid-19 on Thursday, January 6, including three people in intensive care.

Meanwhile Public Health England data shows new coronavirus cases in Worcestershire were at 8,709 for the week up to January 1, a rise of 58 per cent on the previous week.

In comparison, two weeks before in the week up to December 18, there were 3,751 county cases.

Worcester saw a rise of 39.9 per cent in the seven days up to January 1, with 1,518 cases.

Malvern Hills saw a rise up 50.8 per cent to 796 cases.

Wychavon, which includes Evesham and Droitwich, was up 46.5 per cent to 1,642 cases.

Wyre Forest, which includes Kidderminster, saw the biggest rise in the county up 94.2 per cent to 1,519 cases that week.

Redditch also saw a staggering rise, up 91.8 per cent in the Christmas week, up to 1,561 cases.

Bromsgrove had 1,673 cases recorded that week, a rise of 41.7 per cent.

The latest vaccination figures, up to January 5, show 86.7 per cent of Worcestershire adults have had a first dose of a Covid vaccine, 81 per cent have had a second, while 65.1 per cent have had a booster.