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About one in 14 hospital beds in Greater Manchester are currently occupied by Covid patients, the latest figures reveal.

As of Tuesday (March 7), 354 of the region’s roughly 5,000 hospital beds were occupied by virus patients. There are also 33 people in ‘general and acute’ hospital beds and three in ‘critical care’ beds with flu.

In total, around 98% of Greater Manchester’s hospital beds are currently occupied.

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Earlier this week, it was announced that people over the age of 75, people in nursing homes and anyone immunosuppressed five years and older would be offered a spring Covid-19 booster shot.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) said it has advised that certain groups of people should be offered the vaccines, with options including shots from Pfizer, Moderna, Sanofi/GSK.

People will be offered the vaccine around six months after their previous dose, with the booster campaign in England running from April 17 to June 30.

Novavax’s prick will also be available for use only when alternatives are not considered clinically appropriate.

Children under 12 years of age will be offered an infant formulation of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. The vaccine people receive will depend on the local supply.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chairman of the JCVI Covid-19 Committee, said: “Vaccination remains the best way to protect against Covid-19 and the spring booster program provides an opportunity for those who are most at risk of serious illness to keep your immunity recharged.

“This year’s spring program will close the gap with the booster program planned for the fall, allowing the most vulnerable people to be well protected during the summer.”

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunization at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Covid-19 is still circulating widely, and we have recently seen increases in older people being hospitalized.

“It is important that those at higher risk of severe disease do not become complacent and I would encourage everyone who is eligible to apply once the booster program begins.”

Top 10 coronavirus hotspots in Greater Manchester

According to an interactive map showing the number of positive test results in every neighborhood across the country using government data, these are the 10 areas of Greater Manchester with the highest infection rate per 100,000 people in the seven days to 4 of March.

Hyde South in Tameside is currently the worst affected neighborhood in Greater Manchester. Many areas in the 10 districts have registered fewer than three cases in the last seven-day period and do not appear on the map.

South Hyde (Tameside)

Total cases: 24 (up to 21 or 700pc)

Infection rate: 227.8

Nuttall and Tottington (bury)

Total cases: 13 (up to 6 or 85pc)

Infection rate: 175

Romiley & Compstall (Stockport)

Total cases: 10 (up to 3 or 42.9pc)

Infection rate: 129.6

Cheetham Fold and Gee Cross (Tameside)

Total cases: 9 (up to 7 or 350pc)

Infection rate: 124.5

Higher Woodhill (bury)

Total boxes: 7 (up to 5 or 250pc)

Infection rate: 122.5

Bredbury Green (Stockport)

Total cases: 9 (up to 4 or 80pc)

Infection rate: 119.4

Timperley North (Trafford)

Total cases: 10 (down 5 or 33.3pc)

Infection rate: 117.7

Blackrod and Butterwick (Bolton) fields

Total cases: 7 (up to 0 or 0%)

Infection rate: 115.5

Breightmet South and Darcy Lever (Bolton)

Total cases: 11 (up to 9 or 450pc)

Infection rate: 113.7

Upper Broughton (Salford)

Total cases: 18 (up to 16 or 800pc)

Infection rate: 112.5

Read more of today’s top news here

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