There are more than twice as many people in Wirral's hospitals with COVID-19 as there were last week and cases have also risen sharply.

On March 8, the most recent day for which we have figures, 39 people were being treated for the virus in Wirral. That is a major increase on the figure of 15, recorded a week earlier.

It is the first significant rise in hospitalisations we have seen since January, when a major rise in cases caused by the Omicron variant saw infections surge to record levels across the country.

At the time, there were almost 100 COVID patients in Wirral's hospitals, far more than there are now. But it is important to note this week's figures end a downward trend which has been consistent for most of the last two months as cases have fallen.

As for COVID-19 cases, Wirral had 1,314 at a rate of 405 per 100,000 in the week up to March 6. That is 51% up on last week, the biggest weekly rise seen in the borough since the week up to January 4.

Thankfully, these figures have not yet translated into significantly more deaths, with very low weekly numbers still being recorded. Breaking case numbers down to a more local level, the latest figures we have show that Heswall has more COVID-19 cases than any other part of Wirral, with 71.

The figures, which cover the period up to March 4, show the next most infected areas are Upton (69), Seacombe (67), and Hoylake and Meols (67). Birkenhead and Tranmere is the least infected part of the borough with 33 cases, while Rock Ferry (38) and Leasowe and Moreton East (40) also saw lower case levels than much of the rest of the borough.

COVID-19 cases in every Wirral ward:

Heswall 71

Upton 69

Seacombe 67

Hoylake and Meols 67

Greasby, Frankby and Irby 66

Pensby and Thingwall 66

Bromborough 65

Eastham 60

Wallasey 57

West Kirby and Thurstaston 56

Bebington 55

New Brighton 54

Prenton 54

Moreton West and Saughall Massie 51

Clatterbridge 48

Liscard 45

Claughton 44

Bidston and St James 43

Oxton 43

Leasowe and Moreton East 40

Rock Ferry 38

Birkenhead and Tranmere 33