Latest Covid-19 rates in Oldham, Birmingham and other key areas

Here is a summary of the latest rates of new Covid-19 cases in key areas of England:

– Oldham
There were 149 new cases of Covid-19 recorded in Oldham in the seven days to August 20. This is the equivalent of 62.8 cases per 100,000 people – down from 102.5 per 100,000 in the previous week (the seven days to August 13). Oldham continues to record the highest rate of new cases in England, but the rolling rate has fallen steadily since a peak of 112.2 in the seven days to August 11.

Further restrictions were introduced in Oldham from midnight on Saturday August 22, with people told not to socialise with anyone outside their household and to use public transport only if it is essential.

– Pendle
Pendle is currently recording the second highest rate in England, but here too the numbers are falling. Some 55 new cases were recorded in the seven days to August 20 – the equivalent of 59.7 cases per 100,000 people. This is down from 90.1 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to August 13.

– Blackburn with Darwen
A total of 76 new cases were recorded in Blackburn with Darwen in the seven days to August 20, or 50.8 per 100,000 people. This is down from 94.9 in the previous seven days. Both Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle have had the same additional restrictions imposed as in Oldham.

– Leicester
Cases continue to fall in Leicester. The latest figures show 167 new cases were recorded in the seven days to August 20, or 47.1 per 100,000 people. This is down from 60.7 in the previous seven days. At the peak of the recent outbreak in the city, the rolling rate was as high as 159.5 cases per 100,000 for the seven days to June 24.

– Birmingham
The city of Birmingham was placed on the Government’s national watchlist on August 21 as an “area of enhanced support”, meaning it will be provided with extra resources and support to help increase testing and manage outbreaks if necessary.

No new restrictions have been placed on residents, however, and the number of new cases is falling.

Birmingham currently has the 17th highest rate in England, with 23.6 cases per 100,000 people recorded in the seven days to August 20 – down from 30.4 in the previous seven days.

– Northampton
For a few days earlier in August Northampton had the highest rate in England, thanks to an outbreak at the town’s Greencore sandwich factory. The spike in cases caused by that outbreak has now passed. Northampton’s latest seven-day rate is 35.6 cases per 100,000, down from 117.5.

– Stoke-on-Trent
This is one area where the latest numbers are showing a notable jump. Stoke-on-Trent recorded 79 new cases in the seven days to August 20, the equivalent of 30.8 cases per 100,000. This is up from 15.6 in the previous seven days. Stoke-on-Trent currently has the 11th highest rate in England.

Note: all numbers have been calculated by the PA news agency based on the latest Public Health England data published on the Government’s coronavirus online dashboard. Data for the most recent three days (August 21-23) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised. The dashboard is due to be updated later today.