Sefton has experienced another huge rise in positive coronavirus cases this week – but still has the lowest rate of infections in Merseyside.
Latest figures show that the infection rate in the borough per 100,000 people is 149 – and in just one week (17 to 23 September) there were 412 positive cases.
Knowsley has Merseyside’s highest rate – 223 per 100,000.
Liverpool’s rate was not far behind, at 202, while Wirral ’s infection rate stood at 143 per 100,000 for the same period.
A number of people living in the borough have expressed confusion as to why Sefton has been included in the region-wide measures, given its rate is considerably lower than other parts of Merseyside.
But while Sefton has less coronavirus cases than other boroughs, the infection rate remains a worry.
Responding to the new lockdown rules, which came into play on Tuesday, Sefton Council Leader Cllr Ian Maher said: “I know people will be concerned at this news but with infection rates rising in people of all ages across our communities, it is important that we all make every effort to restrict the spread of the virus and these new measures will support that.
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“As I have said previously, the council is really appreciative of all the efforts and sacrifices made by Sefton’s population and the borough’s business to protect vulnerable people across our communities.
“Now we are relying on our residents and businesses to continue working with us and to follow these new restrictions to prevent tighter measures being re-introduced.
“Since the start of the pandemic, we have been working with our partners to support vulnerable people across the borough and we are reviewing the measures we have in place to support them, including those people who were previously shielding.”
Cllr Maher also said he had written to the Government “in the strongest possible terms” to express his disappointment and frustration over the lack of testing in Sefton.
