THE coronavirus infection rate in Herefordshire has risen over the last seven days, but is now one of the lowest in the country.

The infection rates show how many people per 100,000 have tested positive for the virus in each of England's 315 local authority areas over the last seven days.

Herefordshire's rate of 21.3 is the ninth lowest in the country, despite rising from 12.4 last Thursday (October 1).

The majority of the 315 areas also saw their rates increase.

The figures, for the seven days to October 5, 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 (October 6-8) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

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Nottingham now has the highest rate in England, with 2,294 new cases recorded in the seven days to October 5 – the equivalent of 689.1 cases per 100,000 people.

This is a steep jump from 122.3 per 100,000 in the seven days to September 28.

Knowsley in Merseyside has the second highest rate, which has jumped from 365.2 to 601.2, with 907 new cases.

Liverpool is in third place, where the rate has also increased sharply, from 387.9 to 578.7 with 2,882 new cases.

The list has been calculated by the PA news agency and is based on Public Health England data published on Thursday October 8 on the Government’s coronavirus dashboard.

Here is the top 20 areas in the list.

From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to October 5; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to October 5; rate of new cases in the seven days to September 28; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to September 28.

  1. Nottingham 689.1 (2294), 122.3 (407)
  2. Knowsley 601.2 (907), 365.2 (551)
  3. Liverpool 578.7 (2882), 387.9 (1932)
  4. Manchester 543.0 (3002), 363.7 (2011)
  5. Newcastle upon Tyne 498.6 (1510), 323.3 (979)
  6. Burnley 428.5 (381), 389.1 (346)
  7. Sheffield 398.2 (2329), 148.8 (870)
  8. Exeter 390.4 (513), 73.8 (97)
  9. Leeds 389.5 (3089), 193.5 (1535)
  10. Sefton 381.7 (1055), 247.5 (684)
  11. Rochdale 363.3 (808), 206.8 (460)
  12. Halton 353.9 (458), 285.9 (370)
  13. St Helens 351.6 (635), 282.4 (510)
  14. Salford 337.3 (873), 211.7 (548)
  15. Preston 327.7 (469), 248.7 (356)
  16. Oldham 327.3 (776), 205.4 (487)
  17. West Lancashire 323.7 (370), 169.7 (194)
  18. Bury 307.9 (588), 230.9 (441)
  19. Pendle 304.0 (280), 271.4 (250)
  20. Trafford 302.9 (719), 150.4 (357)

Here's how Herefordshire compares to nearby areas

139. Worcester 74.1 (75), 47.4 (48)

165. Malvern Hills 66.1 (52), 34.3 (27)

188. Shropshire 58.5 (189), 43.6 (141)

222. Gloucester 46.5 (60), 30.2 (39)

233. Cheltenham 43.0 (50), 34.4 (40

245. Forest of Dean 39.2 (34), 26.5 (23)

307. Herefordshire 21.3 (41), 12.4 (24)