Coronavirus rates have stayed steady or fallen across Merseyside’s boroughs, in an encouraging sign for the region.
The latest available NHS data, showing infection rates for the week up to May 18, suggest the region continues to be in a promising position a week after the latest round of lockdown easing.
It comes as hope grows that the continued rollout of vaccines and increasing amounts of data showing their relatively strong level of effectiveness against the so-called Indian variant could mean most restrictions still end on June 21.
That date is not certain, with some areas of the country such as Bolton and Blackburn struggling with very high coronavirus rates and with not enough time having passed to see the full effect of the easing that took place on May 17.
However, the most recent data from the NHS’s dashboard shows Merseyside’s boroughs are in a good position.
Wirral, which has had the lowest coronavirus rates in Merseyside for much of this year, continues to hold that position with an infection rate of 5.6 cases per 100,000 people.
It is closely followed by Knowsley, with a case rate of six cases per 100,000, and Liverpool, where levels stands at 6.4 cases per 100,000.
In Sefton, where infection levels lurched upwards earlier this month after an outbreak centred around Formby, infection levels continue to fall.
Sefton recorded 63 coronavirus cases in the week up to May 18, a 54.1% drop on the week before.
While the borough’s infection rate remains by far the highest at 22.4 cases per 100,000 people, it has fallen relatively swiftly.
St Helens, where rates had crept up slightly last week, seems to have a largely stable infection rate.
At 15.5 cases per 100,000 people it still has the second highest coronavirus rate in Merseyside but recorded one fewer case in the week up to May 18 than the seven days before that.
