Six boroughs in Greater Manchester now have a higher coronavirus infection rate than the national average, the latest data shows.
Manchester, Bolton, Salford, Wigan, Rochdale and Tameside all have higher transmission rates than the average for England, though rates are still continuing to fall in every borough.
The latest Public Health England figures show that Manchester continues to have the highest infection rate in the region.
It was recorded at 284.9 in the week ending February 1 but its rate has dropped by 12 per cent week-on-week.
In Bolton, the rate stands at 278.2 per 100,000 - a fall of 7 per cent.
Salford's rate has dropped by 16 per cent to 274.3 and Wigan's by 14 per cent to 254.1.
The infection rate in Rochdale was recorded at 253.6 - a drop of 9 per cent.
In Tameside, the rate has dropped by 16 per cent to 251.2 per 100,000.
All six of these boroughs have a higher transmission rate than the average for England, which stands at 244.1.
The average rate for Greater Manchester as a whole is 252.64 per 100,000 - in comparison, London's stands at 262.89.
Stockport, Bury, Oldham and Trafford all have infection rates lower than the national average.
In Stockport, the rate is 232.8 - a fall of 17 per cent week-on-week.
Bury's rate has dropped by 22 per cent to 219.9 and Oldham's by 15 per cent to 217.2.
Trafford has the lowest infection rate in Greater Manchester.
In the week ending February 1, it dropped by 24 per cent to 207.7.
Matt Hancock today said it is still ‘too early’ to say which restrictions could be eased in March following the first lockdown review.
The government is set to outline its plans for easing lockdown later this month.
Schools will be the first to reopen from March 8 at the earliest if the data allows, ministers have said.
Asked what else may be able to open in March, health secretary Mr Hancock told reporters today: “It is still too early to say - even though the vaccine programme is going great guns”.
He said there were still “31,670 people in hospital with Covid as we speak right now” - which is “far, far too many”.
