Covid case levels plateau after surge

CASES of Covid-19 in Halton have started to plateau after a surge in testing as children returned to school.

The borough saw 74 new cases of Covid-19 reported in the week up to March 9, around the same number recorded six months earlier before the autumn and winter spikes.

With an infection rate of just 57 cases per 100,000 residents, Halton’s case numbers are below the national average and declined in the past week.

However, between Monday and Tuesday, Halton’s infection rate increased slightly as children returned to school after the third national lockdown was introduced.

This small increase is likely due to the significant rise in the number of tests carried out, with all secondary school pupils eligible for three tests during the first two weeks back.

This increase in testing is likely to have picked up a small number of cases that would not otherwise have been detected, and the proportion of tests coming back positive continues to decline.

Deaths from Covid-19 have also declined in Halton, with just one recorded in the week up to March 9.

Subsequent, incomplete figures suggest the borough could be on course to record its first week without a Covid death since November.

Part of the reason for this could be the roll out of the vaccine, which has seen 43% of the borough’s population aged over 16 inoculated against the virus.

During the week up to March 7, 3,319 additional jabs were delivered in Halton, meaning 44,774 have received at least one dose.

This figure includes almost 95% of the borough’s pensioners and almost all of those in their 70s.