The clear and consistent fall in Wirral’s coronavirus cases has stopped, with new figures revealing an uncertain picture.
In the seven days up to December 7, Wirral recorded 184 cases at a rate of 57 per 100,000.
That is less than the 201 cases seen in the previous week, at a rate of 62 per 100,000.
However, on December 2, when the national lockdown ended, the rate was 53, meaning cases have risen in recent days albeit only slightly.
Mass testing of symptom-free people in the borough started earlier this week, on December 7.
Figures covering the first four days of the programme show 7,449 people had been tested, with 25 returning a positive test.
As the rollout only started on December 7, the final day included in the weekly figures, it is unlikely to have had a significant impact on the borough’s infection rate.
As the vaccine rollout begins, find out how many Covid-19 cases there are in your area
How does Wirral compare to the rest of the region?
Wirral’s infection rate is the lowest in the Liverpool City Region, which also includes Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton.
In three of these boroughs, a similar pattern to Wirral’s has emerged, with cases falling until December 2, but increasing after that.
In Halton, the infection rate in the seven days up to November 30 was 134, this fell to 119 in the latest figures up to December 7.
But on December 2, the rate was 117, meaning a small jump was recorded after the lockdown ended.
In Knowsley, a seven-day comparison saw the infection rate decline from 106 to 97, but on December 2 it was even lower at 93, and in Liverpool, the same comparison showed a fall from 97 to 90, with a rate of 88 registered on December 2.
St Helens and Sefton have not recorded the same pattern.
The infection rate has continued to fall in St Helens, from 136 in the week up to November 30 to 120 in the seven days to December 7. The rate at which cases fell remained stable throughout the week.
Sefton’s infection rate fell from 86 to 69 in a week-by-week comparison, with the figure of 77 per 100,000 for December 2 showing that the pattern of cases falling is continuing in the borough.
This week Ray Grist, from Woolton, an inpatient at Aintree Hospital, became the first person in Liverpool to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
The 92-year-old ex-serviceman said it was a case of 'duty calls' as he made history at the hospital on Tuesday.
In Merseyside, the two main hospital sites where the vaccine will be delivered to people are Aintree Hospital and Clatterbridge Hospital in Wirral.
People will also be vaccinated at the Countess of Chester NHS Trust.
