BARROW remains among the worst areas in the country for Covid cases.

The borough has the ninth highest weekly infection rate, with hundreds of new cases being recorded every week.

According to the most recent data, there were 259 new cases in a seven-day period, giving the area a rolling infection rate of 388.2.

The England average is 246.3.

The cases in Barrow increased by 34 per cent in that period.

On July 5 there were 68 Covid patients being cared for at hospitals in Morecambe Bay.

Covid infections continue to rise across the UK, with one in 25 people in England, one in 20 in Wales and one in 17 in Scotland infected with the virus.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 2.7 million people in private households are estimated to have had Covid-19 last week, up 18 per cent from 2.3 million the previous week.

This is the highest estimate for total infections since late April but is still below the record high of 4.9 million which was reached during the Omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March.

Meanwhile, the number of people in hospital in England who have tested positive for Covid-19 stood at 12,283 on July 8, up 31 per cent week-on-week and close to the peak reached during the BA.2 wave.

The majority of people in hospital who test positive for Covid-19 are being primarily treated for something else rather than the virus.

However those with Covid symptoms serious enough to require mechanical ventilator beds stood at 228 on July 8, the highest number for two months, although much lower than early pandemic peaks.

Some experts argue that as long as death rates remain low and intensive care beds are not filling up at an alarming rate, then allowing the infection to spread enables the pandemic to run its course in a heavily vaccinated population.

They argue that bringing back masks and other restrictions only serves to push the problem further down the road.

However, others are worried about the increasing number of NHS hospital admissions, the impact on health and care staff, and the risk of serious illness in the immunosuppressed.

A new campaign encouraging people to have their autumn jabs should provide a boost to immunity.