An amber cold weather alert covering Cambridgeshire has been extended to last a total of 10 days. The alert was issued on Thursday (January 2) and has been extended to last until January 12.
The Met Office and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have warned that the entirety of the East of England will experience cold weather until 12pm on Sunday (January 12). All nine regions in England have been placed under the amber alert due to the potential impact on health.
According to the UKHSA, forecast weather is likely to cause ‘significant’ impacts across health and social care services. This includes a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.
The weather conditions mean that there will be an increase in demand for health services and there is a likelihood of staffing issues for essential services due to travel delays. The warnings also state that officials may struggle to keep hospitals, care homes and clinics warm enough so that temperatures remain above the recommended levels for health assessments.
Temperatures are expected to dip below freezing in many areas later this week. You can see full details of the health alert in your region of England by clicking on this interactive map: