NEW data shows Herefordshire's coronavirus infection rate has risen over the last seven days, but is one of the lowest in the country.

The statistics, released by the Government, show the rolling seven-day rate of new cases of Covid-19 for each of the 315 local authorities in England.

The figures, for the seven days to August 24, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent three days (August 25-27) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

In Herefordshire, the rate has risen to 5.7 in the seven days to August 24, up from 4.7 in figures for the period to August 17.

But that is still lower than its peak at 43.7 more than a month ago after 83 new cases were found in the seven days to July 13, linked to an outbreak on AS Green and Co in Mathon, near Ledbury.

In more recent weeks, the figure had been as low as 2.1 in the week to August 11.

In Pendle, Lancashire, 53 new cases were recorded in the seven days to August 24 – the equivalent of 57.5 per 100,000 people. This is the highest rate in England, but it is down from 81.4 in the seven days to August 17.

The rate in Blackburn with Darwen is 56.8, down from 68.1, with 85 new cases.

Oldham is third, where the rate has fallen from 81.0 to 51.9, with 123 new cases.

Two other areas have rates above 40 per 100,000: Bradford (41.3) and Manchester (41.2).

The list has been calculated by the PA news agency and is based on Public Health England data published on August 27 on the Government’s coronavirus online dashboard.

Here is the top 20 in the list

From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to August 24; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to August 24; rate of new cases in the seven days to August 17; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to August 17.

  1. Pendle 57.5 (53), 81.4 (75)
  2. Blackburn with Darwen 56.8 (85), 68.1 (102)
  3. Oldham 51.9 (123), 81.0 (192)
  4. Bradford 41.3 (223), 52.4 (283)
  5. Manchester 41.2 (228), 49.2 (272)
  6. Leicester 37.0 (131), 53.4 (189)
  7. Northampton 36.1 (81), 78.8 (177)
  8. Swindon 35.6 (79), 41.4 (92)
  9. Bury 32.5 (62), 34.0 (65)
  10. Kettering 32.4 (33), 13.8 (14)
  11. Redditch 31.7 (27), 5.9 (5)
  12. Oadby and Wigston 31.6 (18), 24.6 (14)
  13. Rochdale 31.5 (70), 46.3 (103)
  14. Oxford 30.8 (47), 18.4 (28)
  15. Calderdale 29.8 (63), 35.9 (76)
  16. Burnley 29.2 (26), 28.1 (25)
  17. Tameside 28.7 (65), 28.3 (64)
  18. Preston 27.2 (39), 32.1 (46)
  19. Hackney and City of London 27.2 (79), 13.1 (38)
  20. Kirklees 25.9 (114), 33.9 (149)

Here's how Herefordshire's infection rate compares to nearby areas:

151. Shropshire 7.4 (24), 6.2 (20)

187. Cheltenham 6.0 (7), 8.6 (10)

199. Herefordshire 5.7 (11), 4.7 (9)

246. Worcester 4.0 (4), 2.0 (2)

250. Gloucester 3.9 (5), 3.9 (5)

253. Malvern Hills 3.8 (3), 3.8 (3)

313. Forest of Dean 0.0 (0), 3.5 (3)