THE coronavirus infection rate in Herefordshire has fallen significantly during the most-recent seven-day period after steadily rising for almost four months.

The latest figures from Public Health England shows the infection rate – the number of new cases per 100,00 people – has fallen by more than a third in Herefordshire.

The latest figures, for the seven days to November 22, show the infection rates stands at 121.4 new cases per 100,000 people, lower than 191.9 the week before.

This is because 234 new cases were recorded during the most recent week, less than the 370 the previous week.

The figures are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

Data for the most recent four days (November 23-26) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

A majority of areas in England (283 out of 315) have seen a fall in case rates.

Swale in Kent continues to have the highest rate in England, with 799 new cases recorded in the seven days to November 22 – the equivalent of 532.4 cases per 100,000 people.

This is down from 637.7 in the seven days to November 15.

Thanet has the second highest rate, down from 522.8 to 478.4, with 679 new cases.

Hull is in third place, where the rate has dropped sharply from 748.3 to 460.0, with 1,195 new cases.

The list has been calculated by the PA news agency, based on Public Health England data published on November 26 on the Government’s coronavirus 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 November 22; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to November 22; rate of new cases in the seven days to November 15; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to November 15.

  1. Swale, 532.4, (799), 637.7, (957)
  2. Thanet, 478.4, (679), 522.8, (742)
  3. Hull, 460.0, (1195), 748.3, (1944)
  4. Medway, 442.3, (1232), 322.7, (899)
  5. Boston, 438.9, (308), 460.3, (323)
  6. East Lindsey, 429.0, (608), 545.4, (773)
  7. Stoke-on-Trent, 419.3, (1075), 552.3, (1416)
  8. Dudley, 415.1, (1335), 557.8, (1794)
  9. Oadby and Wigston, 413.9, (236), 506.9, (289)
  10. Hyndburn, 407.2, (330), 426.9, (346)
  11. Newcastle-under-Lyme, 407.1, (527), 452.7, (586)
  12. Sandwell, 406.5, (1335), 503.6, (1654)
  13. Gravesham, 392.7, (420), 315.1, (337)
  14. Leicester, 383.4, (1358), 512.4, (1815)
  15. Kirklees, 373.6, (1643), 545.5, (2399)
  16. North East Lincolnshire, 372.9, (595), 505.8, (807)
  17. Oldham, 366.9, (870), 530.6, (1258)
  18. Hartlepool, 364.1, (341), 580.8, (544)
  19. Bradford, 362.9, (1959), 500.4, (2701)
  20. East Staffordshire, 362.4, (434), 451.8, (541)

How Herefordshire compares to nearby areas:

105. Gloucester, 217.6, (281), 193.6, (250)

171. Shropshire, 155.0, (501), 229.3, (741)

175. Worcester, 153.1, (155), 241.1, (244)

221. Forest of Dean, 123.3, (107), 124.4, (108)

222. Cheltenham, 123.0, (143), 181.4, (211)

224. Herefordshire, 121.4, (234), 191.9, (370)

282. Malvern Hills, 87.7, (69), 114.4, (90)