More than 1,000 cases have been recorded in Norfolk since the start of 2021 according to new figures.

Public Health England's rolling seven day figures for the region shows six of the seven authorities in Norfolk have hit a new record high following the cases in the seven days to January 2.

The county also passed the 500 cases per 100,000 mark for the first time as another 4,552 cases were recorded between December 27 and January 2, another new high. This was up from the 2543 cases in the seven days to December 26.

Of the 4,552 new positive cases in the county between December 27 and January 2, 978 were reported on December 29.

Entering 2021, 333 cases were recorded on New Year's Day, which rose to 730 on January 2.

Great Yarmouth continues to see the greatest rise in cases, now standing at 619.1 cases per 100,000 people. The case rate in the town has almost trebled in a week when the town's infection rate was 227.5 in the seven days to December 26.

The town reported 615 cases in the latest weekly period, up from 226 between December 20 and December 26.

Broadland has surpassed 500 cases per 100,000 for the first time, following 707 new cases. 139 of which were recorded on January 2. The authorities infection rate rose to 540.6 from 325.7.

The figures show Norwich and Breckland also approach the 500 mark for the first time, with Norwich recording an infection rate of 490.8 and Breckland 494.4 cases per 100,000 people.

The figures are in line with Norfolk's infection rate which now stands at 501.5 cases per 100,000 people. The average for England in the seven days to January 2 was 606.9.

North Norfolk's infection rate increased from 216.5 to 404.4 cases per 100,000.

South Norfolk was the only authority to record a decrease compared to the previous day figures as its infection rate fell below 500 cases to 498.3 per 100,000 people. The authority recorded the third highest number of new cases in a week with 702.

King's Lynn and West Norfolk's infection rate increased from 271.5 to 476.9, following 722 new cases in seven days.

It comes as the the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital passed 30,000 for the first time, 9,000 more than at the peak of the first wave in April.