Lockdown restrictions have been in force across England for nearly a month. Photo: Getty ImagesLockdown restrictions have been in force across England for nearly a month. Photo: Getty Images
Lockdown restrictions have been in force across England for nearly a month. Photo: Getty Images

Ten Northamptonshire neighbourhoods where Covid cases are still going UP

Parts of Northampton, Corby and Kettering have infection rates up to 2 and a half times national average

These are the ten Northamptonshire neighbourhoods where Covid-19 is still on the rise nearly a month into lockdown.

All of them saw an increase in the number of positive tests in the week to January 20. And all of them have an infection rate up to 2 and a half times the national average.

Two areas of Northampton top the list — Stornton & Sixfields and Abington Vale — both with weekly case rates over 900 per 100,000 people. A third, Cliftonville & Rushmere has a case rate of 815.9.

Corby, where the number of positive swabs has fallen since a huge spike around Christmas, still has the Lodge Park area with an infection rate of 812.3.

Kettering Town & West still had an infection rate of 724 while six other localities are over 600 — compared to the English average of 420.

County-wide, the latest official figures showed 3,643 positive tests the week ending January 17 compared to 4,698 the week before with an infection rate of 466.6 per 100,000 people.

Northamptonshire Public Health Director described figures as "chinks of lights" but admitted there is still a long way to go before the virus is properly under control.

Lucy Wightman said: "Despite the national lockdown rules we are still seeing mixing between households is the main cause of transmission locally.

"The sooner we are compliant the faster case rates come down and the closer we will be to coming out of lockdown.

"Yes there have been reductions and this is working. But we're still a very long way from being back to even pre-Christmas rates let alone rates we saw in the summer when we had freedoms extended back to us."

Health experts collate data from testing across England and use it to compare infection rates in different areas. Counties, districts and boroughs are divided up into localities with roughly the same number of people — between 7,000 and 8,000 — called Middle Layer Super Output Areas.

Seven–day rates are expressed per 100,000 population calculated by dividing the weekly count by each area's population and multiplying by 100,000.

An interactive map shows current rates in every neighbourhood accessible by entering a postcode.