AS LOCALS come to grips with Tier 4 restrictions, we have rounded up the nine new areas of Reading which have been deemed as severely high-case locations.

According to a Gov.UK map showing weekly changes in cases by area, new parts of town are seeing worrying figures.

The map presents cases locally for the latest week available (date ending December 15).

It shows severity by colours, with purple - the worst level - indicating a rolling rate of 400 or more. Nine parts of Reading are currently in this category.

READ MORE: THESE Berkshire addresses have escaped Tier 4 restrictions due to postcodes

The nine areas classed as being among the highest cases and ratings from across the country include:

Calcot North & Little Heath

Total: 32 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 14 from previous week

Rate: 419.5

Tilehurst South

Total: 34 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 20 from previous week

Rate: 460.3

Norcot South

Total: 37 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 16 from previous week

Rate: 405.5

Reading Chronicle:

Purple indicates areas experiencing some of the highest rates in the country

Battle & Caversham Bridge

Total: 42 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 21 from previous week

Rate: 412.3

Southampton Street & Redlands Road

Total: 49 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 24 from previous week

Rate: 468.9

Kennet Island & Green Park

Total: 63 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 32 from previous week

Rate: 554.5

Whitley Wood

Total: 31 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 19 from previous week

Rate: 435.3

Sonning

Total: 34 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 2 from previous week

Rate: 442.7

Winnersh

Total: 51 cases during the week

Difference: Increase of 32 from previous week

Rate: 4493.4

READ MORE: 'When will this idiot stop leaving it until the last minute to react?' YOUR reactions to Tier 4 restrictions in Berkshire

To view the map and check your area, click here

Covid variant affecting the south east

The new variant of coronavirus sweeping London and the South East has spread to other parts of the UK, a public health leader has warned.

But Dr Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, told Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday: "It has been detected in many other parts of the country.

"Every region has cases but with very small numbers.

"It has also been detected in Wales, in Scotland, we have not had any detected in Northern Ireland."

Dr Hopkins also said that she hoped people who had crammed onto trains out of London after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday the capital was one of the areas going into the new Tier 4 would reduce their contacts.

Dr Hopkins said: "I understand people's wish to get home to their families and loved ones that they may live with on a normal day-to-day basis and wanted to get out of London last night.

"I hope that when they go to wherever they are moving to they reduce their social contacts and don't contact anyone outside their household for the next 10 days, as that will help minimise the risk of transmission to other parts of the country.

"We know it's in other parts of the country in small amounts but what we are trying to do is prevent more spread and rapid increases across the rest of the country."

Her comments come after Mr Johnson effectively cancelled Christmas for almost 18 million people in Berkshire, London and the south east region.

Scientists on the government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) have concluded the VUI 202012/01 mutant strain, identified by the Public Health England laboratories at Porton Down, is spreading more quickly.