Coronavirus cases are spiralling in Merseyside with one in 22 people testing positive in the most infectious areas.
The rapid spread of the infection on Merseyside is being caused by the highly infectious Omicron variant of covid and certain areas of the Mersey metropolis have seen rates alarmingly higher than 4,500 per 100,000 people.
It means huge numbers of Merseyside's working age population are currently isolating.
READ MORE: CCTV appeal after man slashed in face outside JD Sport in Liverpool ONE
Latest official figures show in Sefton there were 4,640.2 cases per 100,000 people in the 20 to 24 age group, and in Wirral there were 4,562.1 cases per 100,000 people in the 25 to 29 age group.
These ratios are likely to be much higher now because cases have continued to surge in recent days and there has been a lot of social mixing over the new year.
Here is the breakdown for each of the local government areas of Merseyside.
Liverpool
15 to 19 age group - One in 57 people tested positive (1,764.3 cases per 100,000 people)
20 to 24 age group - One in 42 people tested positive (2,409.4 cases per 100,000 people)
25 to 29 age group - One in 31 people tested positive (3,186.9 cases per 100,000 people)
30 to 34 age group - One in 31 people tested positive (3,198.7 cases per 100,000 people)
35 to 39 age group - One in 32 people tested positive (3,123.6 cases per 100,000 people)
40 to 44 age group - One in 34 people tested positive (2,923.4 cases per 100,000 people)
45 to 49 age group - One in 36 people tested positive (2,783.4 cases per 100,000 people)
50 to 54 age group - One in 43 people tested positive (2,341.7 cases per 100,000 people)
55 to 59 age group - One in 48 people tested positive (2,086.4 cases per 100,000 people)
60 to 64 age group - One in 52 people tested positive (1,908.5 cases per 100,000 people)
65 to 69 age group - One in 73 people tested positive (1,377.2 cases per 100,000 people)
70 to 74 age group - One in 88 people tested positive (1,134.7 cases per 100,000 people)
75 to 79 age group - One in 101 people tested positive (993.6 cases per 100,000 people)
80 to 84 age group - One in 133 people tested positive (749.5 cases per 100,000 people)
85 to 89 age group - One in 167 people tested positive (614.7 cases per 100,000 people)
90 and over age group - One in 164 people tested positive (610.1 cases per 100,000 people)
Knowsley
15 to 19 age group - One in 37 people tested positive (2,678.4 cases per 100,000 people)
20 to 24 age group - One in 26 people tested positive (3,788.6 cases per 100,000 people)
25 to 29 age group - One in 26 people tested positive (3,918.8 cases per 100,000 people)
30 to 34 age group - One in 24 people tested positive (4,116.7 cases per 100,000 people)
35 to 39 age group - One in 24 people tested positive (4,104.8 cases per 100,000 people)
40 to 44 age group - One in 27 people tested positive (3,762.9 cases per 100,000 people)
45 to 49 age group - One in 40 people tested positive (2,523.8 cases per 100,000 people)
50 to 54 age group - One in 39 people tested positive (2,565.1 cases per 100,000 people)
55 to 59 age group - One in 42 people tested positive (2,406.9 cases per 100,000 people)
60 to 64 age group - One in 55 people tested positive (1,811.9 cases per 100,000 people)
65 to 69 age group - One in 89 people tested positive (1,121.2 cases per 100,000 people)
70 to 74 age group - One in 97 people tested positive (1,028.1 cases per 100,000 people)
75 to 79 age group - One in 140 people tested positive (715.2 cases per 100,000 people)
80 to 84 age group - One in 126 people tested positive (792.1 cases per 100,000 people)
85 to 89 age group - One in 129 people tested positive (773.4 cases per 100,000 people)
90 and over age group - One in 116 people tested positive (861.3 cases per 100,000 people)
St Helens
15 to 19 age group - One in 35 people tested positive (2,889.4 cases per 100,000 people)
20 to 24 age group - One in 26 people tested positive (3,819.8 cases per 100,000 people)
25 to 29 age group - One in 23 people tested positive (4,299.2 cases per 100,000 people)
30 to 34 age group - One in 25 people tested positive (3,940.3 cases per 100,000 people)
35 to 39 age group - One in 24 people tested positive (4,104.6 cases per 100,000 people)
40 to 44 age group - One in 29 people tested positive (3,425.9 cases per 100,000 people)
45 to 49 age group - One in 35 people tested positive (2,841 cases per 100,000 people)
50 to 54 age group - One in 39 people tested positive (2,531.8 cases per 100,000 people)
55 to 59 age group - One in 45 people tested positive (2,228.9 cases per 100,000 people)
60 to 64 age group - One in 59 people tested positive (1,694.2 cases per 100,000 people)
65 to 69 age group - One in 73 people tested positive (1,377 cases per 100,000 people)
70 to 74 age group - One in 100 people tested positive (996.3 cases per 100,000 people)
75 to 79 age group - One in 101 people tested positive (986.1 cases per 100,000 people)
80 to 84 age group - One in 123 people tested positive (811.9 cases per 100,000 people)
85 to 89 age group - One in 82 people tested positive (1,214.9 cases per 100,000 people)
90 and over age group - One in 75 people tested positive (1,329.2 cases per 100,000 people)
Sefton
15 to 19 age group - One in 37 people tested positive (2,715.1 cases per 100,000 people)
20 to 24 age group - One in 22 people tested positive (4,640.2 cases per 100,000 people)
25 to 29 age group - One in 24 people tested positive (4,215.1 cases per 100,000 people)
30 to 34 age group - One in 25 people tested positive (4,019.7 cases per 100,000 people)
35 to 39 age group - One in 29 people tested positive (3,415 cases per 100,000 people)
40 to 44 age group - One in 28 people tested positive (3,619.4 cases per 100,000 people)
45 to 49 age group - One in 36 people tested positive (2,761.4 cases per 100,000 people)
50 to 54 age group - One in 43 people tested positive (2,320.7 cases per 100,000 people)
55 to 59 age group - One in 48 people tested positive (2,074.5 cases per 100,000 people)
60 to 64 age group - One in 62 people tested positive (1,625.2 cases per 100,000 people)
65 to 69 age group - One in 69 people tested positive (1,445.5 cases per 100,000 people)
70 to 74 age group - One in 95 people tested positive (1,057.1 cases per 100,000 people)
75 to 79 age group - One in 135 people tested positive (739.6 cases per 100,000 people)
80 to 84 age group - One in 103 people tested positive (969 cases per 100,000 people)
85 to 89 age group - One in 158 people tested positive (634.3 cases per 100,000 people)
90 and over age group - One in 95 people tested positive (1,052.9 cases per 100,000 people)
Wirral
15 to 19 age group - One in 45 people tested positive (2,203.7 cases per 100,000 people)
20 to 24 age group - One in 24 people tested positive (4,123.3 cases per 100,000 people)
25 to 29 age group - One in 22 people tested positive (4,562.1 cases per 100,000 people)
30 to 34 age group - One in 26 people tested positive (3859.1 cases per 100,000 people)
35 to 39 age group - One in 28 people tested positive (3,583.4 cases per 100,000 people)
40 to 44 age group - One in 31 people tested positive (3,239.6 cases per 100,000 people)
45 to 49 age group - One in 32 people tested positive (3,143.5 cases per 100,000 people)
50 to 54 age group - One in 38 people tested positive (2,642.5 cases per 100,000 people)
55 to 59 age group - One in 46 people tested positive (2,183.4 cases per 100,000 people)
60 to 64 age group - One in 52 people tested positive (1,917 cases per 100,000 people)
65 to 69 age group - One in 74 people tested positive (1,359.5 cases per 100,000 people)
70 to 74 age group - One in 87 people tested positive (1,148.2 cases per 100,000 people)
75 to 79 age group - One in 105 people tested positive (951.3 cases per 100,000 people)
80 to 84 age group - One in 139 people tested positive (719 cases per 100,000 people)
85 to 89 age group - One in 275 people tested positive (363.2 cases per 100,000 people)
90 and over age group - One in 168 people tested positive (595.7 cases per 100,000 people)
