The number of Covid-related deaths in Suffolk has fallen since the start of the year – despite a surge in new infections.

According to the latest data, there were 6,146 reported cases in Suffolk over the past seven days, leading up to March 12.

Within the same timeframe, there were eight deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

This has been a fall since the start of the year, with 30 Covid deaths being recorded in the county in the week up to January 13.

Despite the small number of deaths in relation to the number of cases, the Covid rate across the county has risen in recent weeks.

The district with the highest coronavirus rate in Suffolk is East Suffolk, which has 857.7 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days leading up to March 12.

This is well above the national average of 617.5 cases per 100,000.

Ipswich has the second-highest Covid rate in the county, with 823.9 cases per 100,000 people – up from 520.8 in the seven days prior.