There were 570,550 positive cases in the UK in the week ending March 17, a huge 39% jump on the week before.
It has affected nearly all areas. Some 366 of the UK’s 380 local authorities (96%) saw cases rise in the past week, with two areas - Torridge in Devon and Burnley in Lancashire - seeing cases double.
The lifting of many restrictions, waning effectiveness of boosters and the spread of the highly contagious BA.2 ‘stealth Omicron’ variant have all been touted as potential reasons for rising infection rates.
At neighbourhood level, Covid-19 case rates have been published for the week to March 17.
Here are the neighbourhoods in Blackpool with the biggest rise in case rates in the past week.
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1. North Shore
North Shore had 617.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 184.6% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
2. South Shore
South Shore had 845.5 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 100.0% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
3. Stanley Park & Great Marton
Stanley Park & Great Marton had 835.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 88.2% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
4. Central Blackpool
Central Blackpool had 413.5 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 81.3% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
5. Common Edge
Common Edge had 656.3 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 60.6% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
6. Victoria
Victoria had 570.8 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 45.1% from the week before. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard