Areas across the North West including, Blackburn and Darwen, Burnley, Bolton and Manchester have all seen a sustained surge in new cases of Covid, including the Delta variant.
Last year Government ministers made decisions around local restrictions using the following criteria:
- the rate of Covid cases per 100,000 people
- the prevalence among people aged 60 and over
- the positivity rate – which is the proportion of tests that come back positive (National average 0.7 as of May 20).
Based on last year's local lockdown criteria (with the exception of 'pressure on the NHS'), our data experts have identified the top 20 council areas currently at risk areas across the country, nine of which are in the North West.
Below are the council areas across Lancashire and the North West currently most at risk of local lockdown:
1. Bolton
In Bolton the current rate of infection is 310.6 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of -17.9% in the last seven days. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 63, while the positivity rate is 8.9.
2. Bury
In Bury the current rate of infection is 207.3 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 69.2% in the last seven days. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 46.3, while the positivity rate is 8.3.
3. Burnley
In Burnley the current rate of infection is 287.9 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 128.5% in the last seven days. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 27.4, while the positivity rate is 8.1.
4. Manchester
In Manchester the current rate of infection is 229.5 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 81.0% in the last seven days. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 52, while the positivity rate is 7.9.
5. Hyndburn
In Hyndburn the current rate of infection is 285 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 45.3% in the last seven days. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 51.4, while the positivity rate is 9.
6. Blackburn with Darwen
In Blackburn with Darwen the current rate of infection is 583.2 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 32.9% in the last seven days. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 125.8, while the positivity rate is 14.8.