This week saw another huge increase in Covid-19 case numbers across all age groups.

That’s according to the government’s weekly surveillance report.

The effective reproduction number (Rt ) was 5.15 this week, an increase from last week’s value of 4.67.

Case ascertainment and calculation of the reproduction number is, of course, dependent on patterns of testing and reporting so it is likely that there are more cases than are currently notified.

This caveat has applied throughout the pandemic when coronavirus has been transmitting on the island, although the change to LFD self testing and self reporting over the last few months may have impacted on that to an unknown extent.

The seven-day average daily reporting has increased from 81 to 228.

Two weeks ago, this average was only 21.

It is worth noting that this increase is in line with the increase in cases across the UK shown in the ONS Infection Survey.

It is believed that the large influx of people who came to the island during the TT fortnight, as well as a number of bank holidays and events that have been held recently are likely to have caused this increased pattern of spread.

The report stated: ‘We are likely already seeing the early effects of this but will become clearer in reports over the next couple of weeks’.

At the time information was collected for the report at 10am on Tuesday, June 21, there were 18 patients in Noble’s Hospital with the virus.

Of these, four were admitted for treatment of their Covid-19 infection and 14 were admitted for other reasons and have tested positive since.

The report also shows that 78% of these patients have had their primary course of the vaccine and their booster; 11% have had their primary course, and 11% are unvaccinated.

There are no more deaths reported in this week’s report.

The overall number still stands at 108 since the beginning of the pandemic.