Coronavirus cases rose in a THIRD of England’s 150 councils in England last week

Coronavirus outbreaks grew in a third of local authorities in England last week — but the rise was only driven by a huge testing blitz of schoolchildren because of classrooms being reopened. 

Fifty-six of 149 council areas saw an uptick in cases over the week to March 21, according to the latest surveillance report from Public Health England.

But when the figures were broken down by age, they showed infections only spiked week-on-week among five to nine-year-olds, by more than half, and 10 to 19-year-olds, by a quarter.

Cases dropped in all other age groups, and are now at their lowest levels since August in the over-70s — who are most at risk from the virus. Everyone in the group has received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.

Under Boris Johnson’s ultra-cautious lockdown-easing plan, schools were reopened to all pupils on March 8. But children and teachers have been asked to swab themselves for the virus twice a week, prompting an inevitable uptick in cases.

Experts say this doubling in the number of tests done each day is behind the rise in infection rates, adding that had these tests not been carried out many of these infections would have gone unreported.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, a top SAGE adviser, warned today it appeared ‘transmission was just starting to tick up’ across England because schools had reopened. But the Wellcome Trust chief said the biggest threat was from abroad, amid a spiralling third wave in Europe and the mounting spread of dangerous variants — including the South African strain — that make vaccines less effective.

It comes as Matt Hancock admitted today he cannot rule out trying to renew controversial Covid laws again in the autumn.

Furious Tory backbenchers demanded ‘draconian’ measures are removed ‘at the earliest possible opportunity’. MPs will vote this afternoon on plans to extend emergency powers to the end of September, despite the lockdown officially ending in June.

Some 56 of 149 council areas saw an uptick in cases over the week to March 21, according to the latest surveillance report from Public Health England

But when the figures were broken down by age they showed cases were only ticking up among those aged five to 19, but were still falling across all other age groups. They fell fastest in the over-70s who are least at risk from the virus

The positivity rate from cases has stabalised in all regions of England, but experts say this is because of additional testing

Boris Johnson requires every school child in England to test themselves for Covid twice a week, to ensure any outbreaks can be nipped in the bud. This has led to a doubling in the number of swabs carried out each day

Public Health England data showed infection rates were ticking upwards in central England, in parts of London and across the East and South East.

But they continued to fall across the rest of the nation, and dipped fastest in Devon, the Lake district, and in large parts of Manchester and Liverpool.

The largest spike in infection rates was recorded in Dudley, outside Birmingham, where they rose by 65 per cent (to 85.5 cases per 100,000 residents). Dr Lisa McNally, the public health director for neighbouring Sandwell, has said the rise may be linked to the return of schools and more tests being carried out.

Rutland had the second-highest rise, where they jumped by 55 per cent (42.6 per 100,000). The county has faced Covid outbreaks before driven by the local prison – HMP Stocken – but rates remained low in the community.

Northumberland had the third-highest spike in infections, after they jumped by 54 per cent (74.7 per 100,000). Covid outbreaks have already been reported at two local schools in the county.

On the other hand, the Isle of Wight saw the biggest fall in cases last week after they tumbled by half to 9 per 100,000. The Department of Health’s dashboard shows there were only 18 cases on the island by March 19.

It was followed by Middlesbrough (61.7 per 100,000), North Somerset (24.6 per 100,000), Croydon (21.1 per 100,000), and North East Lincolnshire (89.6 per 100,000), where cases dipped by 43 per cent in each respectively.

When the data was broken down by age group, it showed infections were rising fastest among school children while continuing to fall in all other age groups.

In five to nine-year-olds it ticked upwards by 60 per cent (63.5 per 100,000), and in 10 to 19-year-olds it ticked upwards second fastest by 26 per cent (100.7 per 100,000).

The Covid infection rate fell fastest among over-70s, however, where it dipped by 22 per cent (13.3 per 100,000), and 60 to 69-year-olds, where it also dipped by 22 per cent (25.3 per 100,000).

Figures show over-60s have already received their first dose of the Covid vaccine, with Britain’s successful roll-out now aiming to inoculate everyone over-50 by the middle of April. 

Studies show the jabs protect people from being hospitalised or dying if they catch the disease, and there have also been suggestions that they are less likely to become infected.