A TOTAL of 247 people in Somerset West and Taunton tested positive for Covid-19 in the latest 24-hour period.

The confirmed cases were reported yesterday (Monday, January 3).

A total of 1,764 people in the district had a confirmed positive test in the week between December 28 and January 3.

That represents an increase of 58.1 per cent on the previous seven days.

The total number of people in the SWT area who have received a vaccine by the end of Sunday (January 2) stood at:

  • 128,666 people had been given a first dose;
  • 120,438 people had been given a second dose;
  • 95,452 people had been given a booster or third dose.

Across the South West, 106 people with coronavirus went into hospital on Saturday (January 1).

Between December 26 and January 1, 914 went into hospital with coronavirus. This shows an increase of 62.6% compared to the previous 7 days.

There were 772 patients in hospital with coronavirus yesterday (January 3), of which 64 were on a mechanical ventilator to help them breathe.

There were no Covid-related deaths in SWT yesterday, but between December 28 and January 3, there were three deaths of people within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, up from two deaths over the previous seven days.