New areas in the county showing spikes in Covid cases have been added to Staffordshire County Council's community hotspot list.

People living in these Covid hotspots are being urged to make time to get tested – even if they have no symptoms.

However, luckily for the people of Biddulph, no areas in the Moorlands have been named in the latest list.

Parts of Lichfield and South Staffordshire join the list along with the focus on Cannock Town spreading into a number of nearby Cannock wards. The whole of Newcastle borough and Burton upon Trent town remain classed as hotspot areas.

The average seven-day Covid rate in Staffordshire is currently 267 per 100,000 population, lower than the West Midlands rate of 279 and England's rate of 387.

Dr Johnny McMahon, Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said:

"As Staffordshire enters the New Year in Tier 4 we all have a part to play to stop the spread of the virus, reduce the number of cases and lift us out of these restrictions as rapidly as possible.

"We continue to see a number of hotspot areas across the county where cases are particularly high and we are also seeing a new highly contagious strain of the virus sweeping across England. Around 1 in 3 people who test positive for coronavirus don't have any symptoms but can still spread it. That's why we urge everyone in these hotspots to go and get a test so that we can isolate positive cases, and we are laying on more community testing sites to increase capacity across the county.

"While it is great news that a second vaccine has now been approved and will be rolling out from Monday, it will take time for a big enough proportion of the population to be vaccinated and for us all to feel the benefit. So, for now it's vital we all keep doing out bit to stop the spread, stay at home as much as possible, and follow the Tier 4 rules."

The Covid-19 Hotspot Areas w/c 4 January are as below:

- Cannock Chase: Cannock Town, Heath Hayes East & Wimblebury, Hawks Green and Hagley

- East Staffordshire: Whole of Burton Town, Needwood and Rolleston

- Lichfield: Alrewas & Fradley and Little Aston & Stonall

- Newcastle: Whole borough

- South Staffordshire: Wombourne, Himley & Swindon and Trysull & Seisdon

- Stafford: None

- Staffordshire Moorlands: None

- Tamworth: None

For more details on hotspot areas and how to book a test, click here.