Positive COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Stevenage and North Herts, while the two local authorities remain at medium risk level.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were a further 79 confirmed cases in Stevenage between October 17 and 23.

This was up 40 from the previous week, bringing the overall total to 607 up to October 26.

For North Herts district during the same period, there were an additional 95 confirmed cases, up 21 compared with the previous week.

The total number of cases sits at 803.

Stevenage had 90 cases per 100,000 people, while North Herts had 71 – the average area in England had 137 per 100,000.

Death rates for Stevenage and North Herts remain the same, at 60 and 98 respectively.

The latest R-number in the UK is between 1.2 and 1.4, which means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between 12 and 14 other people.

Last week, Hertfordshire County Council held a briefing where Cllr Tim Hutchings, cabinet member for public health and prevention, confirmed the county was at the higher end of tier one.