THE coronavirus infection rate has halved across every area in the North West over the last week.

Blackburn with Darwen has the highest rate of infection in the region, with 1283 cases per 100,000 people - a 40 per cent drop on the number from the previous week.

Across the country as a whole all 377 local areas in the UK have recorded a week-on-week fall in rates.

It comes as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that England will return to ‘Plan A’ after claiming “our scientists believe it is likely that the Omicron wave has now peaked nationally”.

England's Plan B measures are to end from next Thursday, with advice to work from home and Covid passports both dropped. Face coverings will no longer be mandatory - with the requirement dropped for secondary pupils in classrooms from tomorrow.

He told the House of Commons: “Today’s latest ONS data show clearly that infection levels are falling in England and while there are some places where cases are likely to continue rising, including in primary schools, our scientists believe it is likely that the Omicron wave has now peaked nationally.

“There remain, of course, significant pressures on the NHS across our country, and especially in the North East and North West, but hospital admissions which were doubling every nine days just two weeks ago have now stabilised, with admissions in London even falling. The numbers in intensive care not only remain low but are actually also falling.”

Mr Johnson added: “So, this morning, the Cabinet concluded that because of the extraordinary booster campaign, together with the way the public have responded to the Plan B measures, we can return to Plan A in England and allow Plan B regulations to expire.

“As a result, from the start of Thursday next week mandatory certification will end. Organisations can, of course, choose to use the NHS Covid pass voluntarily but we will end the compulsory use of Covid status certification in England.”

Here is the list for East Lancashire - It reads, from left to right: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to January 14; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to January 14; rate of new cases in the seven days to January 7; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to January 7.

Blackburn with Darwen, 1383.1, (2075), 2488.2, (3733) Burnley, 1311.8, (1172), 2582.2, (2307) Hyndburn, 1309.0, (1062), 2646.3, (2147) Pendle, 1376.1, (1268), 2182.4, (2011) Ribble Valley, 973.8, (604), 2239.4, (1389) Rossendale, 1042.9, (745), 2052.3, (1466)