Reading will find out on Wednesday whether it stays in tier 2 or moves up or down into tier 1 or 3.

A move up to tier 3 is looking more likely than last week as coronavirus cases have risen sharply in the last seven days of reported cases (December 2-8) but Reading may escape further restrictions due to lower levels in West Berkshire and Wokingham.

Covid cases have spiked following the end of the second lockdown and the first week of December has seen the most confirmed cases in any week since the beginning of the pandemic.

READ MORE: Reading Covid case numbers rise by almost 100, reaching highest peak since start of pandemic

David Munday, who is Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) Public Health Consultant, said: ‘There is no single explanation as to why the numbers are increasing.

“There is general on-going community transmission with a limited number of outbreaks which have been managed appropriately.

“We have seen an increase across all age groups in Reading.”

In the last week with available data (December 2-8), there have been 322 cases in Reading with a case rate of 199 per 100,000, ahead of this week’s tier review.

This compares to 234 cases the week before (November 25 – December 1).

READ MORE: These EIGHT areas in Reading saw the biggest increase in cases last week

Neighbouring authorities Wokingham and West Berks also have rising rates, but they are much lower.

West Berks rate per 100,000 in the last seven days is lower than 100, while Wokingham’s is just above 160. This could help Reading to stay in tier 2.

The government will review coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday, deciding which of the three tiers each area in England will be placed in.

Mr Munday could not confirm whether Reading will move into tier 3 or stay in tier 2, adding: “Since the end of lockdown 2 and the move back into local tiers, the government has been clear that decision making about moving tiers is taken centrally not locally.

“We will await the announcement on any changes to tier allocations on Wednesday.”

READ MORE: This is how many Covid patients the Royal Berkshire Trust is currently caring for

Reading’s case rate is now above both the average across the South East and in England, placing the town 56th across the UK.

With Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham’s case numbers all rising significantly in the last week, each could face tougher restrictions, while West Berkshire’s case rate remains low – in the bottom 50 in the UK – but is also rising.