On the anniversary of the first national lockdown there is encouraging news for our area within the latest coronavirus statistics.

Infection numbers continue to fall across the Liverpool City Region, and in this part of the world neighbourhoods are noted as having 'suppressed' the COVID-19 virus.

Clearly this is no reason for us to disregard safety guidance, especially in the light of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's recent warning that the third wave currently afflicting Europe will likely "wash up on our shores".

But as the vaccination programme continues - though there may be some supply issues looming - there is hope of a brighter future we can cling on to.

At its worst, the average COVID infection rate across all six boroughs of the LCR was more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 people.

But after months of strict restrictions, the COVID picture here is now a very different one.

The average infection rate across the region has been brought down to around 45 cases per 100,000 people.

This is the lowest it has been since September 4th last year.

While we are seeing significant decreases across the region as a whole, a number of areas have almost no cases of coronavirus at all.

As of March 17th, there were 85 neighbourhoods where the virus is having barely any impact - 'suppression' means there were just two or fewer confirmed cases.

Among the 85 are:

Heswall

Pensby and Thingwall

Higher Bebington

Neston and Parkgate

Caldy and Newton

The complete Wirral list is as follows:

Hoylake / West Kirby / Moreton West / Leasowe / Wallasey Village / New Brighton / Wallasey Central / Liscard / Egremont / Saughall Massie / Greasby / Caldy and Newton / Thuraston and Irby / Gayton and Lower Heswall / Heswall / Pensby and Thingwall / Noctorum North and Upton East / Claughton North / Birkenhead Central / Claughton South and Oxton North / Oxton South / Noctorum South / Prenton / Woodhey / Bebington New Ferry / Higher Bebington / Bromborough North / Bromborough South / Neston and Parkgate / Eastham