Coronavirus cases are now rising in half of the UK’s council areas, official figures show.
They are also on the up in some neighbourhoods within Blackpool.
There were 260,691 positive cases in the UK in the week ending March 3, a 2% increase on the week before.
Some 186 of the UK’s local authority areas (49%) saw cases rise in the past week.
The lifting of many restrictions, waning effectiveness of boosters and the spread of the highly contagious BA.2 ‘stealth Omicron’ variant have all been touted as potential reasons for rising infection rates.
At a local level, nine areas of Blackpool saw cases fall, while 10 neighbourhoods recorded increases in the last week.
The figures include both positive PCR and lateral flow tests, except in Wales where only PCRs are counted.
They include people infected with Covid-19 for the first time as well as reinfections.
At neighbourhood level, Covid-19 case rates have been published for the week to [insert relevant date for your nation].
Here are the neighbourhoods in Blackpool with the biggest rise in case rates in the past week.
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1. Little Bispham & Anchorsholme
Little Bispham & Anchorsholme had 327.7 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 108.3% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
2. Little Marton & Marton Moss Side
Little Marton & Marton Moss Side had 264.3 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 80% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
3. Queenstown & Layton
Queenstown & Layton had 618.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 69% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
4. South Shore
South Shore had 460.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 48% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
5. Hoohill
Hoohill had 315.7 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 46.2% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
6. Warbreck & Bispham Road
Warbreck & Bispham Road had 258.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 40% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard