THE latest infection rates for the county show all areas increasing compared to the previous week.

Infection rates in Worcestershire continued to increase in every district in the seven days up to October 23 compared with a week earlier – with Worcester’s rate continuing to grow and Bromsgrove’s remaining the highest.

Worcester’s infection rate increased to 154.1 per 100,000 people with 156 cases recorded in the week compared to 80 per 100,000 in the previous week where 81 cases were recorded.

The infection rate in Bromsgrove, which remained the county’s highest, was 176.2 per 100,000 people in the week up to October 23 with 176 cases recorded – an increase on an infection rate of 171.2 a week earlier when 171 cases were recorded.

The infection rate in Wychavon increased to 114.3 with 148 cases compared to 85 a week earlier when 110 cases were recorded.

Malvern’s infection rate was 96.6 per 100,000 people with 76 cases recorded in the seven days compared to 61 and 48 cases a week earlier.

The infection rate also increased in Redditch from 144.3 in the week compared to 118.5 a week earlier. A total of 123 cases were recorded in Redditch that week compared to 101 in the previous week.

Wyre Forest’s infection rate increased to 117.5 per 100,000 people in the week up to October 23 compared to 82.9 a week earlier. The number of cases recorded was 119 compared to 84 a week earlier.

The infection rate in Dudley, which is about to enter ‘high’ tier 2 restrictions this week, was 222.6 per 100,000 people and the infection rate in South Staffordshire, which will also be entering tier 2, was 364.7 during the same week.

For comparison, the infection rate in Nottingham – which moves into the ‘very high’ tier 3 on October 29 and faces tougher restrictions – was 459.