The number of new coronavirus cases in south west Hertfordshire does not appear to be spiralling out of control – but data shows little sign of the virus tailing off either.

Hertfordshire recorded just over 1,100 new cases on Monday's government Covid dashboard, with the most cases being reported in Broxbourne (152) followed by St Albans with 143, Welwyn Hatfield (127) Watford (114) Dacorum (112) and Hertsmere (111).

The dashboard also shows more than 6,500 Hertfordshire residents have tested positive for Covid since the county went into Tier 4 on December 20.

Many of these people will have been infected before Tier 4 was announced, and the coming days’ data will tell us how much of an impact Tier 4 measures have had on bringing levels of the virus down.

A total of 41,385 lab-confirmed cases of Covid was reported in the UK on Monday, which was the first time more than 40,000 new cases were reported in a single day.

Which areas of south west Herts have the most cases?

Refresh the page if the hotspots chart above doesn't appear. Scroll further down for a full list.

Case rates are high in all five districts of Watford, Three Rivers, Hertsmere, St Albans, and Dacorum.

Hertsmere has the highest weekly rate out of the five areas which is due to outbreaks in Bushey, Borehamwood, Elstree, and Potters Bar.

Rates have been high in Bushey for some time but data suggests, at least in Bushey Heath and Central, the number of new cases may be stabilising.

Hotspots in Watford continue to include the town centre and the western and northern areas of the town, while the belt that wraps around the southern area of Watford in Three Rivers – Croxley Green, Carpenders Park, Oxhey Hall, and South Oxhey, is still experiencing higher levels of cases.

Bovingdon & Chipperfield in Dacorum has recorded the most cases out of any ward in south west Hertfordshire in the seven days to December 23 with 122 cases – the Prison Service has confirmed a "number of cases" have been identified at The Mount prison in Bovingdon.

Read more: Covid outbreak at The Mount prison

Meanwhile, Bricket Wood & Chiswell Green, Townsend, and Cottonmill & Sopwell are boosting case numbers in St Albans district.

The table below shows the number of cases in every ward in south west Herts in the seven days to December. Areas shaded darker on the table are where rates are currently highest. 

How old are people testing positive?

The age group where case rates are currently highest in Hertfordshire is people aged in their 20s, followed by those aged in their 30s and 40s.

The rate is lowest in those aged 60-85, but there has been a recent rise in the number of people aged over 90 testing positive for Covid.

How busy is Watford General Hospital?

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust was looking after 177 Covid patients on December 22, which was down three from the day before.

The 180 Covid patients on December 21 was the highest ever at the trust.

Hertfordshire's director of public health Jim McManus warned last week Watford General Hospital was under "extreme pressure", while the hospital trust tweeted they were "super busy", which included A&E.

Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said today: “This very high level of infection (nationally) is of growing concern at a time when our hospitals are at their most vulnerable, with new admissions rising in many regions.”

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, Dr Henderson: “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.”