CORONAVIRUS cases in the city are now among the highest in the South East, as the number of people infected went up by more than 50 per cent in a week.

In the seven days up to June 17, there were 334 confirmed new Covid-19 cases in Brighton and Hove - a 54 per cent increase on the previous week.

It is equivalent to a weekly rate of 114.8 per 100,000 residents - higher than the South East rate of 57.5 per 100,000 and the England rate of 98.4 per 100,000.

It means the city has one of the highest case rates in the South East of England.

Latest figures have revealed that the majority of new cases are still among 15 to 29 year olds, many of whom hadn’t been able to book vaccinations before this week.

There is also a rise in numbers among people in their 30s, 40s and 50s many of whom will only have had one dose of the vaccine so far.

The rate among the over 60s is still low, and there has been no significant rise in the number of people needing hospital treatment for Covid-19.

Director of public health, Alistair Hill, said: “The ongoing increase in cases is a cause for concern. We all need to act now to reduce transmission and avoid the risk of more vulnerable people catching the virus.

The Argus: Hove seafront has seen a rise in visitors since restrictions eased Hove seafront has seen a rise in visitors since restrictions eased

“It is now clear that two doses of either the Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna Covid-19 vaccines reduce your risk of catching or spreading the virus and provide a high level of protection against severe disease.

“All adults aged 18 and over can now get their first vaccination. It’s encouraging to see how many young people in the city have booked or had their first jab in the first week it has been available to them.

"The time between vaccinations has also been shortened and more people in older age bands are now eligible to get their second dose.

“If you’ve not had your first jab yet, please go ahead and book it as soon as you can, and make sure to get your second dose when it’s ready too.

“Until the virus is fully under control, we all need to be careful and keep up with the Covid safety habits we all know so well by now.

"Even if you've had the second dose of the vaccine please keep a safe distance from people that aren’t in your household or bubble, wear face coverings when away from home if you can, regularly wash hands or use hand gel, open doors and windows to let fresh air circulate – outside is safer than indoors.

"Twice weekly symptom free LFD tests should be part of everyone's routine, and at the first sign of Covid-19 symptoms or a positive LFD test, you must self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test."