Covid-19 is ‘out of control’ in Greater Manchester, data shows

Covid-19 is currently ‘out of control’ in all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, shock figures have revealed.

Figures collected by our sister title National World show that in four of the 10 local authorities in the city-region more than one in 10 tests are currently coming back positive.

The latest data from the UK Government revealing high test positivity rates across the country.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set a 5% threshold for determining if the pandemic is under control.

Every one of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs is currently above that mark.

The lowest figure for the city-region in the seven days up to 9 September was 8.2%, in Manchester itself.

The highest rate was 13.1% in Tameside.

That meant more than one in eight tests in the borough came back positive in that seven-day period.

The second-highest rate was 12.3% in Oldham, followed by 11.1% in Wigan and 10.1% in Stockport.

The test positivity rate for the seven days up to 9 September was 9.8% in Rochdale, 9.6% in Bury, 9.2% in Salford, 9.1% in Trafford, 8.6% in Bolton and 8.2% in Manchester.

The highest positivity rate recorded for the period anywhere in England across the seven-day period was 14.9% in Corby.

Just 16 councils had a positive test rate of below 5%, the WHO threshold for the pandemic being under control.