WORCESTERSHIRE health chief Dr Kathryn Cobain has urged county residents to stick to the guidelines and prevent the county being placed in the government's new 'high' or 'very high' risk tiers.

Dr Cobain said: "Worcestershire does not want to face tougher restrictions.

"You can help prevent that, by staying local and really reducing who you mix with.

"Cut down the number of contacts you have with people, keep your distance from others and remember to wash your hands and wear face coverings.

"If you reduce where you go, consider who you are travelling with, who you mix with, stick to the rule of 6 and follow these rules, we will see the spread of Covid-19 reducing.

"If we lower the numbers of cases, we reduce the risk of us being put into tier two measures.

"Further restrictions will impact our lives, our businesses and our economy, if we want to stay at tier one, then we have to stick to the rules now more than ever."

Worcestershire’s infection rates have been climbing with Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest numbers particularly high.

Bromsgrove has an infection rate of 121 per 100,000 people and Wyre Forest has a rate of 94 per 100,000 in the last 7 days.

The county’s rate overall continues to rise and its rate for the past 7 days stands at 74 per 100,000.

The county remains at tier one measures.

Dr.Cobain added residents can keep it that way by reducing how many people they are mixing with, considering the risk level in the places they visit and following all the guidelines.