There were 570,550 positive cases in the UK in the week ending March 17, a huge 39% jump on the week before.
It has affected nearly all areas. Some 366 of the UK’s 380 local authorities (96%) saw cases rise in the past week, with two areas - Torridge in Devon and Burnley in Lancashire - seeing cases double.
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 rising infection rates.
At neighbourhood level, Covid-19 case rates have been published for the week to March 17.
Here are the neighbourhoods in Preston with the biggest rise in case rates in the past week.
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1. Frenchwood & Fishwick
Frenchwood & Fishwick had 474.4 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 238.4% from the week before.
Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
2. Haslam Park
Haslam Park had 926.8 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 172.7% from the week before.
Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
3. Moor Park
Moor Park had 464.1 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 135.7% from the week before.
Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
4. Lea & Marina
Lea & Marina had 1070.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 86.8% from the week before.
Photo: Kelvin Stuttard