Covid-19 infection rate drops more in Harborough district than anywhere else in Leicestershire – and it’s now well below the national rate

The Covid-19 infection rate has dropped more in Harborough district than anywhere else in Leicestershire – and it’s now well below the national rate.

Some 351.8 people per 100,000 are infected with the virus in Harborough, the latest Public Health England statistics show.

The figure has fallen by about 25 per cent compared to earlier this month – after it rocketed by over 80 per cent.

The national average for England is currently 622.3.

But the coronavirus infection rate among young people in Harborough now stands at 831.2 per 100,000 people – the highest in the county.

Mike Sandys, Director of Public Health for Leicestershire, thanked local people for staying at home during the latest lockdown – while imploring young people to follow the Covid rules.

And council and police chiefs have also saluted residents for staying local to take their exercise.

They spoke as visitor figures for the county's country parks show a significant drop for last weekend - the first of the national lockdown.

At the popular Beacon Hill, park rangers observed a drop in car park usage of around 60 per cent while both Watermead and Snibston Colliery Park were much quieter.

Cllr Nick Rushton, who leads Leicestershire County Council, said: "I’d like to thank our residents for doing the right thing during this lockdown - which is hard but necessary.

“Parks of all types are essential for exercise and I’m pleased to be able to keep them open, as long as people continue to follow the rules and the true spirit of the national lockdown.

“Stay home, and if you do take exercise, stay local."

Mike Sandys said: "Visits to country parks are good barometer for how seriously the public are taking the lockdown - and I'm pleased to see that most people are heeding the guidance.

“I encourage people not to look for loopholes.

“The national lockdown will work to reduce the spread of the virus - if everyone does their bit."

Ivan Browne, Leicester City Council's director of public health, repeated his simple message: "There isn’t a hard and fast limit on how far you can go for exercise and it relies on people being responsible.

“I urge people to continue to do the right thing. Go to the nearest park, not the nicest one."

Chief Constable Simon Cole said: "Our officers are working hard to encourage people to follow the lockdown - and we will enforce the law where it’s needed.

“Most people are following the rules, including when they visit country parks.

“Thank you.

“This means we can continue to focus valuable officer time on tackling crime."

Police and local authority officers will continue to monitor the usage of all parks across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

They will act if they have safety concerns about visitors, they warned.