The Covid-19 infection rate has increased across all four south east London boroughs over the last week, with nearly 250 new cases confirmed.

Friday's update from Public Health England of the seven-day rate of new Covid-19 cases across England show a continued national surge in cases as the country navigates a full second wave of the virus.

The new data, which shows a total of 235 cases recorded in south east London in the past week, comes as the capital was officially placed on the national Covid-19 watchlist yesterday.

The North East continues to record the worst numbers in the country, with sharp increases in their seven-day rates seeing Newcastle, Liverpool, Burnley, Bolton, Knowsley, Blackburn and Halton all record over 200 cases per 100,000 people.

Below are the full number of cases, and seven-day Covid-19 rate as of September 22 (the data for the three most recent days are excluded for accuracy).

The rate is expressed as the number of new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people, and is based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government's testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

Bexley currently has the highest Covid-19 rate in all of south London, with a seven-day rate of 27.8, meaning nearly 30 people per 100,000 have tested positive for the virus this week.

The borough recorded 69 new cases in the past seven days, causing its rate to more than double from 11.7 the week prior.

Greenwich recorded 58 new cases, on top of 51 cases the week prior, causing its Covid-19 rate to rise to 20.1.

Lewisham's Covid-19 rate rose from 17.0 to 19.0 after also recording 58 new cases, up from 52 the week before.

A rise in Bromley's Covid-19 rate from 13.5 to 17.8 means all south east London boroughs have seen a rise in cases and Covid-19 rates

The borough recorded 59 new cases, bringing the south east's total to 235, which, while high, does still remain well below the country's current hotspots which are under additional lockdown measures.

Elsewhere in the capital, Lambeth recorded 81 new cases to bring its Covid-19 rate up to 24.8, and Wandsworth holds the highest rate in south west London with 26.1.

Dartford recorded a Covid-19 rate of 11.5, Sutton 21.3, Croydon 17.3, Merton 14.4 and Kingston 20.8.

Yesterday it was revealed by London Councils that London had been placed on the national Covid “watch list” as an area of high concern.

It comes after 620 new cases were confirmed in the capital in the last 24 hours – more than double the number at the start of the week.

Thirty-five more patients with Covid were admitted to the capital in the last 24-hour period, taking the total to 212, of which 40 are on ventilators.

Stats from SAGE also released on Friday state the both the country's and London's reproduction value (R number) was up to between 1.2 and 1.5, with the number of new infections growing by between 4% and 8% every day.