AFTER a drop last week, Kirklees’ Covid-19 infection rate has increased again.

With 118 people per 100,000 in Kirklees testing positive for Covid-19 over the last seven days, the borough’s infection rate has increased by 15 per cent since last week.

There was one death in local hospitals related to Covid-19, after two deaths the previous week. There were 21 people admitted to those hospitals in that time, up from 17 the previous week.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall, Strategic Director for Public Health at Kirklees Council, said: “We’re no longer in the top 20 areas in England with the highest infection rates, but this more reflects the trend of increasing rates nationally. Our infection rate is still high and has increased again over the last week.

“Alongside this, we have started to see our hospital admission numbers rise.

"They remain at a low level but we absolutely have to stop them from rising. Bringing down our infection rates is one way we can do this and the other is to take the vaccine. "