Covid rates tumble across Norfolk as lockdown easing mooted

Coronavirus rates are tumbling across the region – with figures almost half what they were a week ago in some areas.

In the week leading up to February 2, Norfolk was slightly above the England average for the number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people.

But new figures for the following seven-day period show the county is now back to being below average – two Norfolk areas are now comfortably under 100 cases per 100,000, and are almost half what they were a week ago.

It comes as hopes rise that the end of lockdown might be nearing, after Boris Johnson said he was "optimistic" he would be able to set out plans for a "cautious" easing of lockdown restrictions later this month.

In the seven days leading up to February 9, the Norfolk-wide average number of cases stood at 142.4, compared to 167.5 across England.

North Norfolk (75.4) and South Norfolk (80.9) are the areas helping to push the average down, with the latter now at less than half what it was a week earlier (169.6).

Great Yarmouth (167.1), King's Lynn and West Norfolk (198.2) and Norwich (204.2) remain the areas with the highest case rate numbers in the county, but they too are seeing a rapid decrease in the number of positive tests.

Breckland (145) and Broadland (110.1) are down by almost half, while East Suffolk (88.6) and Mid Suffolk (60.6) have even lower case rate numbers.

All these local authorities are now reporting figures are down to pre-Christmas levels, with Norfolk back down to a rate last seen on December 13.