Knowsley currently has the highest weekly rate of new cases of Covid-19 in England, new data shows.
A total of 422 cases were recorded in Knowsley in the seven days to September 25 - the equivalent of 279.7 cases per 100,000, up sharply from 152.5 in the previous week (the seven days to September 18).
Eight other areas of England now have weekly rates above 200 cases per 100,000 people, including Liverpool where the rate has jumped from 165.4 to 262.2 with 1,306 new cases recorded.
All figures are based on Public Health England data published on Monday.
The latest data comes as the region is braced for potential further lockdown restrictions - despite new rules only coming in to force for the region last week.
Today Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced a tightening of restrictions for areas in the North East, where mixing between households in any indoor settings - such as pubs - will be made illegal, rather than just advised against.
Nowhere in the North East has infection rates as high as Liverpool or Knowsley and it is considered just a matter of time before stronger restrictions are brought in for our region.
Leaders here are awaiting news on what measures could be introduced, which could be even stronger considering the high infection rates in placed like Knowsley and Liverpool.
R eports in The Times this morning suggested that Merseyside is one of the places where new restrictions, including a complete ban on social meetings and a two-week shutdown of the hospitality sector, could be announced this week if case numbers in the city continue to grow.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said he supported more restrictions to slow the spread of the disease but called on government to provide details of financial support for businesses to prevent a further wave of joblessness.
He said: "We have all seen the worrying rise in cases of Coronavirus across the country, so it is right that if the current restrictions are not proving to be enough, that the government considers every option available to protect people and stop the spread of the virus.
"However, if they are going to force another shutdown of the hospitality industry and a ban on all social gatherings, then they need to put in place proper financial support for councils and local public health teams, for business to prevent them from going under and to stop thousands of people losing their jobs through no fault of their own.
"To be effective, any announcement on further local restrictions or local lockdowns has to come with clear messaging and a package of measures to protect jobs and support the local economy, including a local furlough scheme, financial support for businesses and support for the self-employed - many of whom have not received any help at all since this crisis began."
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Under the plans reported in The Times, the lockdown would be less extensive than that put in place earlier this year, with schools and shops staying open.
Asked about the plans on BBC Breakfast, care minister Helen Whateley said: “We don’t want to bring in more restrictions but of course we keep a constant eye on what’s going with the Covid rates and we have seen these upward trends in recent weeks.
"This is the moment in time we have an opportunity, we have a choice as a country to get this back down under control.”
