THE number of new Covid-19 cases almost tripled in a week in Brighton - and nearly 100 new cases were confirmed over the weekend.

The latest available data released today for the seven days up to Tuesday, June 15 shows the rate of infection in Brighton and Hove stands at 107.9 cases per 100,000 population.

This figure is still significantly higher than the average for England, at 85.5 per 100,000.

The weekly figures show that for the seven days up to Tuesday, there were 314 new cases reported in the city - almost three times the figure for the previous week.

In the seven days up to June 7, there were 107 new cases.

The data also shows a stark difference in the rates of infection across Sussex.

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In East Sussex the rate of infection stands at 23.2 per 100,000 - one of the lowest in England - and there were 129 cases in the week up to June 15.

The rate of infection in West Sussex was higher, at 42.5 per 100,000 for the same week, with 367 cases.

It comes after the leader of the city council in Brighton and Hove, Phélim Mac Cafferty, issued a statement on Friday following the rise in case numbers.

He said: "Our rate per hundred thousand of the population has now overtaken the rest of the country.

"I know many of us are tired but it’s vital that we stop Covid among those who are not vaccinated and do our bit to suppress the more infectious Delta variant.

"None of us want to go back to stricter restrictions, or see loved ones in hospital.

The Argus: City council leader Phélim Mac CaffertyCity council leader Phélim Mac Cafferty

"The pandemic isn’t over yet and we can all still play our part to bring infections down.”

Over this weekend alone, there has been 90 new cases reported in the city.

Today's daily figures released by Public Health England show a total of 15,361 people have now tested positive for Covid-19 in Brighton and Hove, compared with 15,271 on Friday.

In East Sussex cases rose by 49 over the period, bringing its total to 30,983.

There were 130 new cases recorded in West Sussex since Friday, where there has now been a total of 43,176 cases.

Across the UK, there has been 9,284 new cases confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing the national total to 4,630,040.

Six UK deaths were recorded, within 28 days of a positive test.