Coronavirus: St Helens infection rates decrease

The tracker, covering the period of January 13 to January 19, shows 1,270 COVID-19 cases, at a rate of 703.27 cases per 100,000.

This is down from the 1,452 recorded cases in St Helens in the previous week, an infection rate per 100,000 of 804.1.

Of the latest 1,270 cases, 171 were from an asymptomatic 'lateral flow' test.

These do not include more recent days' data, though NHS figures show St Helens had a weekly infection rate of 704.8 by last Thursday, January 21.

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By date of specimen, Wednesday, January 13 saw the highest number of cases with 182, with no days during the period reaching the 200-mark.

Meanwhile, Saturday, January 16 saw the lowest number with 141.

By area, Thatto Heath ward saw the most cases again with 106, although a decrease from the 138 recorded in the district the previous week.

Meanwhile, Sutton saw 103 cases, which made it the ward with the highest infection rate at 867.1.

All wards' infection rates are fewer than 1,000 per 100,000 again after Thatto Heath, Rainhill and Eccleston's rates had surpassed that mark during the previous week.

Rainhill has decreased to 822.2 per 100,000 with 90 new cases and Eccleston has gone down to 558.6, with 66 new cases.

Rainford ward saw the fewest cases at 42, a rate of 545 per 100,000.

Billinge and Seneley green had the lowest rate at 441.9, with 47 cases.

By age group 45 to 59-year-olds were again the category with the most cases at 347, signalling a decrease from the 388 last week.

Meanwhile, 30 to 44-year-olds accounted for 311 COVID-19 cases.

The 18 to 29-year-olds category saw 250 cases, while people aged between 60 and 79 accounted for 172.

There were 136 children (0 to 17) who tested positive during the week and 54 from the 80-plus age category.

Of those testing positive, 691 (54.41 per cent) were female and 579 (45.59 per cent) male.