We've been trying to work out why Rugby has one of the fastest-growing case rates in the country - here's what we know

Rugby's rapidly increasing coronavirus case rate means it is very likely to be plunged into Tier Four form Boxing Day onwards.

Confirmation of this will likely come at around 3pm today when health secretary Matt Hancock holds a press conference.

But, as we wait for the official announcement, the Advertiser has been speaking with various sources in an attempt to work out why Rugby has one of the fastest-growing case rates in the country.

Having spoken with various sources, the Advertiser understands that there is no single cause of Rugby's rapid rise in cases.

Some of the increase can be attributed to outbreaks in care homes in the borough - and a cluster of cases has emerged in an infant school and a secondary school.

These clusters have driven cases upwards in individual wards, but overall there has been a big increase in transmission in the wider community.

As yet in the borough there are no positive samples of the new strain of Covid-19, which is believed to be more contagious but not more dangerous to those who catch it.

But local authorities have been told to expect that this new strain is already everywhere.

A spokesperson for Rugby Borough Council explained: "The top five wards are currently Coton and Boughton, Eastlands, Benn, Admirals and Cawston and Dunsmore.

"In the last seven days there have been 3,663 tests and the positivity rate is 11 per cent.

"This is the highest positivity rate since widespread testing started in May.

"There have been 3 deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate in the last week, out of a total of 96 since the pandemic started."