THE latest rolling seven-day coronavirus infection rates show every part of the county has continued to see a week-on-week increase with the city’s figure remaining high.

Infection rates in Worcestershire continued to increase in every district in the seven days up to October 24 compared with a week earlier – with Worcester’s rate remaining high, Bromsgrove remaining the highest and Redditch and Wyre Forest seeing a huge increase.

The infection rate in Bromsgrove, which remained the county’s highest, was 172.2 per 100,000 people in the week up to October 24 with 172 cases recorded – an increase on an infection rate of 169.2 a week earlier when 169 cases were recorded.

The infection rate also increased in Redditch from 158.3 in the week compared to 118.5 a week earlier. A total of 135 cases were recorded in Redditch during the week compared to 101 in the previous week.

Wyre Forest’s infection rate increased to 116.5 per 100,000 people in the week up to October 24 compared to 80 a week earlier. The number of cases recorded was 118 compared to 81 a week earlier.

The infection rate in Dudley, which is about to enter ‘high’ tier 2 restrictions, was 228.9 and the rate in South Staffordshire was 372.7 during the week.

For comparison, the infection rate in Nottingham – which has moved into the ‘very high’ tier 3 - was 452.4 during the same week.

The rate in Birmingham, which is also heading towards tier 3, was 270.2 in the same period.

Whilst rates across the county had surged in the week up to October 24, compared to a week earlier, rates fell slightly in Worcester, Wychavon, Malvern and Bromsgrove from figures earlier in the week - but only due to a drop in a handful of positive cases recorded.

For example, the rate in Worcester was 91.9 on October 18 but surged to 154.1 on October 23 only to fall slightly to 151.2 on October 24.

Worcester, Bromsgrove and Redditch remained the highest in the county despite the slight drop.

On Twitter, Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid said: The high COVID-19 infection rate in #Bromsgrove District means that further restrictions may be introduced.

"No one wants to see that happen. Let’s work together to keep this virus under control.

"Please remember to wash your hands, wear a face covering and make space."

Responding to Mr Javid's tweet, Redditch MP Rachel Maclean said: "@sajidjavid is right. And the same applies to #Redditch.

"If the infection rate continues to rise here, then discussions over Tier 2 restrictions will become inevitable. Let's avoid this situation by continuing to follow the rules to get that infection rate down."