Covid infections in Wirral have fallen to a level last seen in August, despite the full reopening of schools two weeks ago.
In the week up to March 18, Wirral registered 89 cases at a rate of 28 per 100,000.
Not only is that down on last week’s figure of 152 cases at 47 per 100,000, it is also the lowest number of weekly infections since August 27, when just 77 cases were recorded.
The very latest figure represents huge progress since the borough’s peak rate of over 980 per 100,000 was recorded in the week up to January 8, as the third lockdown began.
In recent weeks, Wirral’s pattern of cases falling has stuttered, with occasional jumps in infections reported.
In fact, in the most recent comparison, between cases in the week up to March 17 and the week up to March 18, a small jump from 84 to 89 infections was registered.
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But previous small jumps since January have been cancelled out by falling numbers in following days and the virus has continued to decline in the borough.
This success has happened despite schools reopening to all children on March 8, although we can only just begin to analyse the impact of this based on the numbers we currently have.
It is important to follow this week’s numbers to see if there is any change to that pattern as we near the next phase of lockdown easing, the Rule of Six returning for outdoor gatherings on March 29.
Across the rest of the Liverpool City Region, infections fell everywhere apart from Halton.
In the week up to March 18, Halton recorded a rate of 60 per 100,000, up from 52 the week before.
But Knowsley’s rate declined from 48 to 43, while Liverpool recorded a similar fall from 49 to 46.
St Helens registered a much sharper decline, from 86 to 63, while Sefton’s rate is now 46, down from 59 the week before.
Got a Wirral story? Email me at george.morgan@reachplc.com
