Top five Covid hotspots revealed – as Delta variant fuels 90% rise in cases

CORONAVIRUS infections are on the up in the UK as cases of the Delta variant fuel a 90 per cent increase in cases – and this interactive map reveals if your area is a Covid hotspot.

The North West has some of the highest infection rates in the country with the biggest week-on-week increases all being concentrated in the region.

Around 1,840 people are testing positive for Covid a day in the North West, government data shows.

This compares to 242 positive tests a day being reported in the North East.

Across the UK, it was last night reported that cases have risen by 91 per cent in just seven days, with experts saying that the Indian variant is now present in every corner of the country.

Six million people are now under extra coronavirus restrictions after parts of Manchester and Lancashire were yesterday hit with new travel rules, with the army being deployed in some areas to enhance testing capabilities.

One tenth of the UK's population are being told to "minimise" travel in and out of the areas, which have been hit with a spike in cases.

Of the 315 areas in England, 251 have seen a rise in cases in the last seven days.

Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire continues to have the highest rate of infections in the country, with 833 new cases in the seven days to June 4 – the equivalent of 556.5 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 436.9 per 100,000 people in the seven days to May 28.

When looking at the biggest week-on-week increases, Blackburn is third in line behind Burnley and South Ribble, also in Lancashire.

Bolton has the second highest rate of infections in England, down from 381.2 to 320.3, with 921 new cases.

Rossendale in Lancashire has the third highest, down slightly from 316.2 to 310.6, with 222 new cases.

When it comes to areas that have the biggest week-on-week increases, Burnley has seen the biggest jump, going from 120.3 cases per 100,000 to 282.3.

The government has rolled out enhanced support measures in the area – which means more testing and more vaccines being rolled out.

South Ribble has the second largest week-on-week increase, going from 111 cases per 100,000 to 252.7.

All Lancashire areas, apart from Blackpool, have been issued with new guidance due to the Delta variant.

Lancashire County Council's director of public health, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, last week urged the government to give Lancashire extra capabilities, the type that had already been seen in other areas such as Bolton.

Dr Karunanithi said that Lancashire had "always been vulnerable" during the pandemic and that a "gaping hole" had been left in terms of support it had been given by the government.

While Bolton is still the most infected area in the country, evidence is now emerging which shows the spread of the Delta variant has reached other areas of Greater Manchester.

Stockport saw the fourth biggest week-on-week rise in the last week, going from 71.6 to 187.1.

Salford is fifth on the list jumping from 116.3 to 231.8 cases per 100,000.

While these are the top five areas, other areas in the North West are also high on the infections list.

Ribble Valley, Manchester, Chorley, Wigan, Rochdale and Trafford are all in the top 20 of the most infected areas.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

The highest infection rates are being seen in the North West and the lowest in the North East.

Daily infections in the North West are nearly eight times as high as those being seen in the North East.

The North West is seeing 1,840 daily infections, this is followed by London, where 733 positive tests are being reported each day.

Next is Yorkshire and the Humber, where 541 positive tests are being reported each day.

The South East is reporting 465 positive tests a day, the West Midlands, 400, the East 313 and the East Midlands, 311.

The number of positive tests being recorded in the South West daily is 262 and is the lowest in the North East at 242 per day.

There are now concerns that the planned relaxation of rules on June 21 won't go ahead due to large infection rates being seen in some areas.

But Manchester's mayor Andy Burnham said Prime Minister Boris Johnson could stick to this date if more vaccines were diverted to Manchester.

He insisted it's worth "slowing down" the rollout in some parts of the UK where case numbers are still very low to get on top of their surge.

But on the advice of scientists the Government hasn't increased the supply of jabs to the most affected areas.

Doing so would allow them to get down the age range faster and jab young adults who are largely behind the surge of infections.

Mr Burnham said: "We would say surge vaccine supplies into high case areas. The need is now to stop the spread of the virus.

"We're not asking for more vaccine supplies, we're just saying bring forward the supplies allocated to Greater Manchester to now."

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