Covid near me: The Preston areas with highest Covid infections in the past week

There were 605,313 cases in the week ending March 24, just 6% higher than the week before - an indication that the latest wave may soon peak.

But this nationwide picture disguises huge regional variations.

At a regional level, the North East of England has seen case rates rise by a third (33%) in just a week, to 775 cases per 100,000 residents.

While the North West saw case rates rise by 15% in a week, to 767 cases per 100,000 residents.

In Preston however, cases went down by 2.3% in the last week, which is a rate of 646.6 cases per 100,000 people.

The current BA.2 wave has seen case rates hit hit an all-time record for England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Across the UK, hospitalisations are at about half the numbers seen at their peak, in January 2021, while the number of deaths is well below those seen before the vaccine rollout.

But high case rates, and the resulting absences, are still causing disruption in schools and hospitals.

The lifting of many restrictions, waning effectiveness of boosters and the spread of the highly contagious BA.2 ‘stealth Omicron’ variant have all been touted as potential reasons for the current wave.

At neighbourhood level, Covid-19 case rates have been published for the week to March 24. The figures include people infected with Covid-19 for the first time as well as reinfections.

Here are the neighbourhoods in Preston with the highest case rates right now.

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