Every single area of Barnet recorded multiple cases of Covid in the run-up to Christmas as the new strain of coronavirus spread across the capital.

Since Barnet moved into Tier 4 on December 20, at least 2,000 residents in the borough have tested positive for Covid.

This is on top of more than 2,700 residents who received a positive result between December 10 and 19.

Barnet’s weekly rate of Covid cases – in the seven days to December 23 – is 685.3 per 100,000 population, which is the 18th highest out of London’s 32 boroughs.

Despite its position of 18th, the rate is far, far higher than public health officials would like it to be.

Which areas of Barnet are worst affected?

Nowhere in Barnet is ‘Covid-free’ but there are not any areas where the virus could be considered to be "out of control".

However, some places in the borough have a higher rate than others, including in parts of Finchley, Mill Hill, Osidge, and Underhill.

Parts of these areas are sat at a rate equivalent of more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 population over a seven-day period.

Two areas which have seen the biggest jump in cases include Burnt Oak (98 cases in the seven days to December 22, which is up 59 from the week before), and Ducks Island and Underhill, which went from 18 cases in a week to 98.

The table below reveals exactly how many cases there were in your area in the run-up to Christmas. The darker shade a ward is coloured, the worst the case rate is for that area.

How old are the people testing positive for Covid in Barnet?

Figures published on the government’s dashboard show the majority of people catching coronavirus recently have been those aged in their 20s, 30, 40s, and 50s.

However, the virus has also been found in elderly people.

How busy are the hospitals?

As of Christmas Eve, there were 3,966 Covid patients in hospitals in London, up from 2,607 a week earlier, but lower than the 5,201 recorded on April 9.

Of these 3,966 patients, 244 were being cared for by the Royal Free NHS Trust, which runs three sites, including Barnet Hospital.

The 244 patients on Christmas Eve, which includes 40 on ventilation, was just under double the Royal Free had on December 17 (125 patients).

The Royal Free announced last week all non-urgent planned procedures/operations and non-urgent and consultant led out-patient services at its hospitals have been temporarily paused.

Hospitals in the south of England face a rise in pressure as the number of coronavirus patients receiving treatment heads towards the April peak.

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Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said: "We know that the rate of Covid-19 admissions is rising and some trusts are reporting up to three times the number of Covid patients than at the peak of the first wave.

"This means hospitals and also ambulance services in Tier 4 areas and beyond are incredibly busy, compounded by increasing staff absences due to illness and the need to self-isolate.”

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Credit: PA

The president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has said there will be a lag before the NHS feels the benefit of the Tier 4 restrictions imposed on London and the south east.

Dr Katherine Henderson told BBC Breakfast: "We will hope to start seeing the benefits in London of the Tier 4 restrictions and transmission rates but there is a big lag.

"All the people we are seeing at the moment were infected two weeks ago."

She added: “It’s incredibly important that we don’t get another surge.”

Discussing New Year, she said: "Please, don’t take a chance on this, please don’t make it likely that we have an additional surge.

"Don’t mix, wear masks, wash your hands, keep separate – all the things we know we really need people to take very, very seriously."

Government figures show 37 Barnet residents have died in December, within 28 days of a positive Covid test.

The borough has recorded 394 so far over the whole pandemic.