Coronavirus cases are steadily rising in one of London’s least vaccinated boroughs.

Just 58 per cent of Newham’s population have received their first dose of the vaccine, while 42pc are double jabbed – the second-lowest uptake rate in the capital.

The borough had the highest Covid-19 death rate of any local authority in England between March 2020 and February 2021.

Cases are now rising in the area, with 620 new cases recorded between September 28 and October 2 – a rise of almost 100 from the previous week.

By contrast, 64.1pc of all Londoners have had their first vaccine and 58pc have had both.

Newham is behind ahead of Westminster for vaccine uptake in London, where only 56.7pc of residents have had their first injection.

However, Barts Trust, which runs a number of hospitals in the area including Newham Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital, has recorded fewer hospitalisations in the last few weeks.

Just 85 patients were in Barts hospitals with Covid-19 as of October 5, with Covid-positive patients falling since August.

14 of these patients were being treated in critical care beds or with enhanced levels of oxygen.