Covid case rate spikes

COVID-19 infection rates have spiked in Rossendale in the last seven days, according to the latest data.

The Valley recorded 256 new cases in the week to January 1 - the equivalent of 358.1 cases per 100,000 people. That’s 73 per cent up from the 148 positive tests in the previous week immediately running up to Christmas.

However, England’s average infection rate remains significantly higher - at 572.1 per 100,000.

There were 6,195 positive tests across the whole county between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This is an increase of 2,539 cases on the previous week - equivalent to an average week-on-week rise of 69.4 per cent.

The figures have been calculated by the PA news agency, based on Public

Health England data published on January 5. Data for the most recent four days (January 2-5) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.