England’s Covid hotspots as Boris Johnson set to announce end to remaining restrictions

Coronavirus infection rates remain high in several areas of England despite the imminent end of restrictions, figures reveal.

Boris Johnson has announced that all Covid-19 legal restrictions are to be scrapped.

This includes the requirement to self-isolate for up to 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus.

Read more: Government reduces number of free lateral flow tests Brits can order online

The prime minister told MPs

He will then hold a press conference from Downing Street alongside England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, and the government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance.

The prime minister has been accused by critics of putting vulnerable people at risk while infection rates remain high.

According to the latest government data, one area of England has almost 1,000 cases per 100,000 people, based on the seven-day rolling rate.

This is Horsham in West Sussex, which has 970.6 infections per 100,000 people for the latest seven-day rolling period.

This is followed by Worthing, also in West Sussex, with 870.6, and Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, on 856.9.

Areas in England with the highest rate of confirmed Covid infections, based on seven-day rolling average per 100,000 people:

1. Horsham 970.6

2. Worthing 870.6

3. Tewkesbury 856.9

4. Waverley 855

5. Gloucester 839.6

6. Cambridge 831.6

7. Adur 799.2

8. Exeter 792.8

9. Oxford 787.7

10. Cheltenham 777.3

However, due to limited Covid testing, the government’s figures are not considered as accurate a picture of the nation’s Covid levels as the Office for National Statistics’ infection survey, which takes samples from individuals across the country.

The most recent ONS data, published on Friday, estimated that almost 2.5 million people in England had coronavirus in the week ending 12 February, or one in 20 people.

In Northern Ireland, this figure was 1 in 13 - or 146,600 people - while in Scotland (219,300) and Wales (112,600) the ratio was 1 in 25.

Regionally, the highest coronavirus rates were in London, the ONS said, with 5.3% of the population testing positive daily in the week ending 12 February, although this was down from 8% at the beginning of the year.

The South East was next on 4.9%, followed by the East of England on 4.8%. the lowest rate in England was in the North West, with 3.6%.