Covid in Preston: are we in a better or worse situation than last Christmas?

However, the country is in a very different position than it was last December.

The vaccine rollout has had a huge impact on the number of deaths and hospitalisations, although cases are surging across the country, including in Preston.

Based on analysis of UK Government data we reveal how the pandemic has changed in Preston over the last year.

The analysis covers the time period 13 December 2020 to 13 December 2021.

How many positive cases are there in Preston?

Case rates are dramatically higher in Preston than they were last December.

This year (on 13 December) Preston recorded 110 new cases, 358% more than on the same day last year when 24 new cases were reported.

Case numbers are based on the number of new cases by specimen date.

How many more deaths have there been Preston?

The vaccine rollout has seen deaths plummet in the last year but thousands of deaths have still been recorded across the UK, including many in Preston.

Last year Preston recorded a total of 193 deaths since the start of the pandemic, however, this year the number of total deaths has risen to 364 - 171 more people have died over that time period.

This is a 88.6% rise in the total number of coronavirus deaths in Preston.

The analysis is based on the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test by date of death.

The death rate per 100,000 people has dropped though.

Last year 6.9 deaths were recorded per 100,000 people in Preston, while in 2021 the death rate is 0.7.

Death rates are based on a seven day rolling average.

How many people are in hospital in Preston?

Hospital cases have also changed across Preston in the past year.

Last year on 14 December at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust there were 192 people in hospital and 4 people on mechanical ventilation beds, while this year there are 33 hospital cases and no people on mechanical ventilation beds.

This represents a 82.8% drop in hospital cases and a 100% drop in people on mechanical ventilation beds.