MORE than 2,000 people were admitted to Barnsley Hospital with Covid-19 in 2021 - in a year where more than one million virus tests were taken across the borough.

Figures in Barnsley, and across the country, are currently rising due to the new Omicron variant.

Throughout 2021, coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions kept many residents in the town indoors - and shocking overall figures over the last 12 months show how many people have tested positive for the virus.

There has been 42,165 positive cases since January which equates to more than 75 per cent of the total of cases since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The six worst-hit days in terms of positive cases came towards the end of the year - 654 swabs were returned positive on December 27.

Hospital admissions have dropped in recent weeks, alleviating pressures on an already over-worked and under-staffed NHS - but 2,141 people were admitted to the hospital last year.

There are currently 34 people in Barnsley Hospital with the virus and just three on ventilation beds - among the lowest figures since the pandemic began.

The number of people taking coronavirus tests in Barnsley has also climbed in comparison to the year before as about 200,000 had a test in the first nine months.

However in 2021 there were more than 1.2 million Covid tests conducted - this equates to just 3.3 per cent of people testing positively across the whole of the borough.

Though many of these tests would have been lateral flow and Barnsley Council encouraged residents to take tests even if they weren’t showing symptoms in a bid to slow the transmission rate.

Barnsley does however still have the unwanted title of worst death rate in the UK at 390.6 per 100,000 residents.

There has been less people die within 28 days of a positive test this year with 393 deaths compared to the previous year’s 576.

This is likely down to the most positive statistics - the town’s vaccine rollout.

It was, at one point, well above the national average - though in recent weeks has slowed down.

Almost 85 per cent of eligible adults have had at least their first dose of the vaccine this year, and more than three-quarters are now double-jabbed.

The third or booster jab, which has been pushed by the government recently, also has a strong turnout in the town following a pop-up booster clinic at the Metrodome last month.

More than 120,000 people have had three jabs which equates to 54.8 per cent of residents.