Region’s Covid ‘blackspot’ as variant arrives in the UK
GREATER Manchester’s biggest Covid-19 ‘blackspot’ emerged in Stockport - as the first cases of the new ‘Omicron’ variant were discovered in the UK.
The arrival of the variant sparked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce the rules around travel and mask wearing were being tightened up from last week.
The World Health Organization has warned the Omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a ‘very high’ risk across the world, and could lead to severe consequences in some regions.
From November 30 face coverings have been compulsory in shops and on public transport in England, unless you are exempt.
The variant has also prompted the UK to place 11 African countries on the red travel list - South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Nigeria.
More than 240 cases of the variant had been identified in the UK as of Monday, up sharply from 160 on Sunday.
Cases of Covid-19 in the ten biggest hotspots in the region also increased compared to the previous seven-day period.
The areas with the highest infections, and localities where cases are low can be revealed via an interactive map charting the number of positive Covid-19 test results in each neighbourhood across the country using government data.
It shows the number of infections per local area, broken down into neighbourhoods containing roughly 7,000 people.
The number of new cases is then used to calculate the infection rate per 100,000 people.
In the week to November 23 - the latest local data - the biggest hotspot was Marple Bridge and Mellor.
It recorded an infection rate of 795.3, with 47 new incidences of the virus.
There were 24 cases more than the previous week, which was an increase of more than 100pc.
In second place was Guide Bridge in Tameside where there were 55 cases and the rate was 779.9.
This was a rise of 31 from the last seven-day period.