Rising infection rate now among worst in country
INFECTION rates in Hyndburn and Burnley continue to rise - bucking the trend for the rest of the county where weekly cases are falling.
Hyndburn now has the seventh highest infection rate in England and the highest in the North West after 379 people tested positive in the seven days to November 19 - the latest Public Health England figures available.
This gives the East Lancashire borough an infection rate of 467.7 cases per 100,000 people and is up from the previous weekly rate of 386.2.
The only other Lancashire local authority with an infection rate higher than 400 is Burnley where the number of weekly cases has gone up from 350 to 363.
Blackburn with Darwen’s infection rate continues to plummet and is now below the 400 mark for the first time this month.
All 11 other boroughs continue to record a drop in infection rates as Boris Johnson announced a new strengthened three-tier lockdown system to kick in when national restrictions end next Wednesday (December 2).
Six Lancashire boroughs are now below the average
England infection rate of 228.9, including Blackpool, West Lancashire, Ribble Valley, South Ribble, Wyre and Lancaster.
It is understood a decision has not yet been made on which tier Lancashire will fall under, but this is expected to be decided on Thursday.
It is feasible different areas of Lancashire will be placed in different tiers due to the difference in infection rates.
Lancaster, in particular, has pushed not to be grouped with the areas with the highest rates of infection due to a rate of 117.8 - nearly four times less than Hyndburn.
The latest data on coronavirus infections for the seven days to Thursday (November 19) are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.
The list has been calculated by the PA news agency, based on Public Health England data published on November 23 on the Government’s coronavirus dashboard.
Data for the most recent four days (November 20-23) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases. The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.