Wigan's Covid infection rate plummets by 25 per cent in seven days

Coun Lawrence Hunt said Covid testing sites in Wigan had not been busy in recent days

There were 1,648 new coronavirus cases reported across the borough in the seven days up to November 10, which is 528 fewer than the previous week.

This means the rolling rate has now fallen to 501.4 cases per 100,000 people.

The number of Covid cases fell everywhere except for five neighbourhoods.

In some areas, such as Leigh South East, Standish North and Atherton South East, the number of Covid cases fell by more than 50 per cent in just one week.

Ashton-in-Makerfield West, where only 23 new cases were recorded in that period, had the lowest infection rate in the borough with 314.3 per 100,000.

But most neighbourhoods have a rolling rate above 400 cases per 100,000.

Wigan Marylebone and Bottling Wood has the highest rate in the borough.

In the week ending November 10, there were 64 new cases reported, making its rolling rate 794.1 cases per 100,000 people, a 48.8 per cent week-on-week rise.

Wigan Central councillor Lawrence Hunt said testing sites have not been busy.

He believes the vast majority of people testing positive are not becoming ill.

But his biggest concern is the impact of the lockdown on residents in his ward.

He said: “I speak to residents and it’s quite depressing. There’s very little hope out there and massive fear.

“I’ve spoken to residents who have not been out since February.”

Fellow Labour councillor George Davies, who also represents the central ward, said he and his colleagues are concerned by the rising rate in Bottling Wood.

He says people he sees in Wigan are wearing face masks and abiding by rules.

But he fears the rise in Covid cases in some parts of the town will contribute to hospital admissions and could spread through care homes in the area as well.

He said: “We want to get the message across to the residents out there – think about the staff and patients in our hospitals.

“Please, please understand that we’ve got to get there. It’s not just in Wigan. It’s everywhere in the country. It’s everywhere in the world.

“Understand other people and make sure that you yourself are not one of those patients who go into hospital.

“I’m hoping we can get that message across to that community.

“We’ve got to make sure we look after our community and our country.”

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