15 NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE POSTCODES WHERE CORONAVIRUS CASES ARE SPIKING

COVID-19 infections are rising again in 15 North Staffordshire neighbourhoods as high schools and businesses carry out mass testing.

Kidsgrove Central is now the area’s biggest coronavirus hotspot, with a case rate of 242.8 per 100,000 residents after seeing 14 positive tests in seven days.

Neighbouring Kidsgrove East and Kidsgrove West have also seen a rise in their case rate although not on the same scale.

A further 13 areas have also seen big jumps in cases.

It is believed this is linked to the mass roll out of lateral flow testing as children returned to secondary school.

More companies are also swabbing their employees.

It is important to note that the extra testing means those people can now self-isolate to reduce the risk of spread in the community and prevent infection rates rising above 400-plus again.

Meanwhile, an outbreak in Bradeley and Chell Heath – linked to the Agnes & Arthur care home – now appears to be under control.

The infection rate there remains among the highest in North Staffordshire at 189.9 per 100,000 residents, but this is down 36.4 per cent on the previous week.

A total of 15 neighbourhoods have now seen an increase in cases to give infection rates of more than 125 in the seven days to March 13.

Overall, Stoke-on-trent’s case rate stood at 91.7 per 100,000 people while Staffordshire’s was 69.2 – both above the national average.

The news comes as Dr Paul Edmondson-jones - the city’s top health boss - has urged people to get tested.

To help people chart the progress of the pandemic, Public Health England (PHE) has produced an interactive map which displays data showing the rates of coronavirus infection in different areas.

It has opened up a glimpse into the peaks and troughs of infection rates across the region.

The map is colour-coded from white – where the virus is being suppressed – through to green where cases are low and then through gradually darker shades of blue as the numbers increase and finally to a deep claret then black.

The map provides the sevenday rolling rates are calculated by dividing the seven day count by the area population and multiplying by 100,000.