Where Covid cases are rising - and falling - in North Kirklees

But as the country prepares to hopefully "unlock" as planned on June 21, there are still fears the roadmap out of lockdown could be threatened by the new Delta variant.

Kirklees’ infection rate is one of the highest in the country and is rising. With 118 people per 100,000 testing positive for Covid-19 over the last seven days, the borough’s infection rate has increased by nine per cent since last week. The national average is 32 people per 100,000.

The latest figures show 12 neighbourhoods in North Kirklees saw an increase in infections in the latest seven-day period - from May 21-28.

The biggest increase was in Thornhill, which saw a huge 375 per cent jump in the number of recorded cases.

The next biggest increase was in Heckmondwike North, where there was a rise of 180 per cent.

Staincliffe and Healey saw a 133 per cent increase in the number of cases.

Cases in Liversedge, Littletown and Millbridge rose by 107 per cent.

There was a 100 per cent increase in the number of recorded infections in Birstall.

Batley Carr and Mount Pleasant saw cases rise by 74 per cent.

Shaw Cross and Hanging Heaton reported a 60 per cent increase, as did Earlsheaton and Chickenley.

There was a 25 per cent rise in cases in Mirfield Central and Hopton.

Dewsbury Moor Upper reported an 18 per cent increase.

Upper Batley and Soothill saw the number of cases increase by 17 per cent.

There was a nine per cent rise in Batley Central.

And cases in Ravensthorpe increased by eight per cent.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall, strategic director for public health at Kirklees Council, said: “Our Covid-19 infection rate is high and it’s continuing to rise.

"Thankfully we’re not currently seeing this impact our numbers of deaths and hospital admissions caused by Covid-19 but if we continue to see our infections increase, this may very quickly change.

“We have an opportunity right now to prevent our situation from worsening and that’s why we’ve put our surge testing and increased vaccine plan in place.

"I’m urging everyone to play their part so we can reduce our infection rate and get Kirklees safely through the roadmap out of lockdown."

But there was some good news - six neighbourhoods in North Kirklees saw a drop in infections in the latest seven-day period.

Hightown and Hartshead recorded a 100 per cent decrease, with no reported cases.

The next biggest decrease was in Dewsbury Savile Town and Thornhill Lees, which saw a 67 per cent drop in the number of recorded cases.

Dewsbury Moor Lower and Westtown reported a 40 per cent decrease in the number of Covid infections.

Heckmondwike Town, Norristhorpe and Roberttown also saw a decrease, with cases dropping by 32 per cent.

Cases decreased by 17 per cent in Dewsbury Central and Westborough.

And there was also a 17 per cent reduction in the number of infections in Wilton Park, Carlinghow and Brookroyd.

Birkenshaw, Cleckheaton, Gomersal, and Scholes and Hunsworth all saw no change in their infection rates from the previous week.

Across Kirklees, 32 neighbourhoods saw an increase in the number of recorded Covid cases and 20 neighbourhoods reported a decrease.