Coronavirus infection continues to rise across all of Greater Manchester, with the disease doubling in Trafford within a week
The borough of Manchester registered 543 positive cases for every 100,000 people in the local population for the week ending October 5, according to the latest figures published by Public Health England (PHE). The national average is 127.4.
Some 3,002 cases were recorded in Manchester in a week, a rise of 49 per cent.
The rate of increase in Manchester has slowed - it had been doubling every seven days - but it remains the worst hit area in Greater Manchester and among the worst in the country.
Nine other boroughs saw increases in positive cases during the week concerned.
Only Bolton, which has had a local lockdown in place for far longer, appears to have arrested the sharp rise, with 272.7 cases for every 100,000 people in the area for the week concerned.
In Bolton, some 784 cases were registered, 59 more than the week before, which represents a rise of eight per cent.
Trafford has registered a steep rise in cases, some 719 of them during the seven days concerned.
It represents a rise of 101 per cent compared to the week before, the steepest rise of any borough in Greater Manchester.
The infection rate in Trafford has climbed to 303 cases per 100,000 people.
This figure is half that in Manchester but cases in Trafford are rising faster.
The rise in Stockport was almost as steep, with a 90 per cent increase to 720 positive cases.
After Manchester, Rochdale registered the next highest infection rate although it is much smaller at 363.3 cases for every 100,000 people.
The other boroughs also saw a rise in their infection rates: Salford, 337.3; Oldham, 327.3; Bury 307.9; Wigan, 292.7, Tameside, 258.7; Stockport, 245.5.
Some 71,717 positive cases were registered in England, an infection rate of 127.4.
Although the number of cases is rising steeply across much of the country, there is now much more testing than at the height of the first wave of the pandemic in April and May. Then, only people in hospitals were being tested.
The number of Covid-19 related daily deaths is also starting to rise again
The Government said a further 77 people had died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Thursday. This brings the UK total to 42,592.
