Coronavirus infection rates have risen in every part of Greater Manchester for the third day in a row but one borough has the second lowest rate in the entire country.
In Rochdale, there were 159.2 cases per 100,000 people in the week ending March 6, according to the latest data from the UK Health Security Agency. The only place in England with a lower rate of infection is Pendle in Lancashire, which has 111.8 cases per 100,000 people.
Stockport continues to have the highest infection rate in Greater Manchester, with a rate of 324.3 cases per 100,000 people. Greater Manchester's average rate is now 236.1 cases per 100,000 population - lower than the national average of 393.8 cases per 100,000 people.
A total of 6,695 people tested positive for coronavirus across Greater Manchester in the week which ended on March 6. The Greater Manchester weekly total has increased by 1690 cases compared to the previous week, which means the infection rate was up 34pc in the last week.
The region's Covid-19 hospital admissions have also risen. A total of 335 patients were admitted to Greater Manchester NHS hospitals with the virus in the week ending March 6 - 27 more than the week before and a rise of 9pc. On March 8, there were 11 Mechanical Ventilation (MV) beds occupied by Covid patients in Greater Manchester NHS hospitals, which is three fewer than a week earlier.
In the week ending March 6, a total of 21 people died within 28 days of a positive Covid test across Greater Manchester, which is four fewer than the week before. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 908,406 confirmed coronavirus cases in Greater Manchester. There has been a total of 8,793 deaths.
Borough-by-borough breakdown
Tameside saw a total of 507 cases in the week ending March 6, which is 149 more than the previous week. That is a rise of 42pc. In Tameside, the most recent coronavirus infection rate is now 223.2 cases per 100,000 people.
In Stockport , there were 954 positive Covid-19 tests in the week ending March 6, which is 277 more than the previous seven days. Stockport has the highest infection rate in the region. The infection rate in Stockport is up slightly compared with the previous day and the week-on-week trend is up by 41pc.
Oldham's latest infection rate is 181.4 cases per 100,000 people. There were 431 cases recorded in Oldham, which is 106 more than the previous week - a rise of 33pc.
In Bury , the latest infection rate is 255.9 cases per 100,000 people and the number of cases has gone up by 28pc. A total of 488 people tested positive for Covid in Bury over the seven days ending on March 6, which is 106 more than the week before.
Manchester recorded 1285 coronavirus cases, which is 264 more than in the previous seven days. The latest infection rate in Manchester is 231.2 cases per 100,000 people and that is up 26pc week-on-week.
There was a rise of 51pc in cases in Wigan over the week ending March 6, and the infection rate is now 222.5 cases per 100,000 population. Wigan recorded 736 positive Covid-19 tests over the seven-day period, and that is 248 more than the previous week.
In Salford , there were 606 positive Covid-19 tests in the week ending March 6, which is 90 more than the previous seven days. That is up by 17pc compared to the previous week. The latest infection rate in Salford is 230.7 cases per 100,000 people.
In Bolton , the number of cases is up by 39pc compared to the previous week - leaving the infection rate at 198.4 cases per 100,000 population. There were 572 positive Covid-19 tests in Bolton in the week ending March 6, which was 160 more than the previous seven days.
There were 760 positive tests over the last week in Trafford , which is 252 more than in the previous week. The week-on-week trend in Trafford is up by 50pc and the latest infection rate is 319.9 cases per 100,000 people.
Rochdale , which has the lowest infection rate in the region, recorded 356 positive Covid-19 tests in the week ending March 6, which is 38 more than the previous seven days. The coronavirus infection rate in Rochdale is now 159.2 cases per 100,000 people and is up by 12pc week-on-week.
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