Four North West areas are in the current top ten places worst hit by coronavirus in England

Several areas in the North West are currently among the worst affected by coronavirus, new data has revealed.

According to Public Health England and the Department for Health, they are ‘working collaboratively’ to focus on areas where coronavirus cases are rising, Sky News reports. 

New figures from PHE show Leicester (140.2 cases per 100,000 people), Bradford (69.44), Barnsley (54.65) and Rochdale (53.64) are the areas worst affected by coronavirus.

These four areas have at least 45 cases per 100,000 people in the week to June 21st – although none of the other three have levels anywhere near as high as Leicester. 

The next category (30-44.9 cases per 100,000) includes six areas: Bedford (41.95), Oldham (38.62), Rotherham (33.63), Tameside (33.3), Blackburn with Darwen (32.9), and Kirklees (30.31).

Further down the list, Manchester ranks 15th worst with 21.55 cases per per 100,000 people.

Despite reports yesterday that Wigan was on a list of areas that could potentially be put into local lockdown, these new figures show that it’s actually only 74th on the list with a rate of just 5.52. 

An updated list ending June 28th is expected to be published tomorrow. 

The British Medical Association has called for the government to provide accurate data on local coronavirus spikes to ensure those areas can react quickly to save lives and protect the NHS. 

There are two sets of figures released, Pillar 1 includes the number of patients and staff testing as positive in hospital and PHE labs, Pillar 2 includes positive cases identified in testing centres. 

Leicester City Council has just received accesses to the data in Pillar 2. 

A spokesperson said: “PHE publishes daily cases of COVID-19 broken down by local authority which includes people tested as part of pillar 1.

“This is used as one of a number of indicators to help us and partner organisations to identify trends in local areas and to take action accordingly.

“To use these data in isolation to predict which areas will see significant increases in cases is not appropriate as they do not provide a complete picture of what is happening locally.”

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community well-being board, told Sky News: “More data is starting to be shared with councils’ directors of public health, which is good news. It is clear that more precise, granular information is needed in order to help councils track down and isolate any specific outbreaks or clusters.

“This data needs to be provided promptly and shared quickly, with both district councils and upper tier local authorities, to ensure the swiftest and most effective response.

“Proportionate responses, which have the consent of the community, are the best way in dealing with local outbreaks and we expect this to happen in the vast majority of cases. Councils want to work with the public and local businesses on this and the use of powers should only ever be needed as a last resort, to manage the outbreak and prevent the spread of infection.”

Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said figures from PHE show Bradford ‘with a high number of infections along with a number of other northern authorities, although we are some way behind Leicester’.

Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia said: “These claims of a local surge and a lockdown are wholly inaccurate and people should not panic or feel unduly alarmed.”

Dr Mark Ansell, Havering Council’s director of public health, said: “Public Health England London have reviewed cases in London and the overall trend remains downwards. We are nowhere near the levels where a lockdown would even be considered.”