The number of coronavirus cases in much of Norfolk are continuing to fall, according to the latest figures.

The figures, from Public Health England data for the seven days to September 17, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

In Norwich eight new cases were recorded in the seven days to September 17 - the equivalent of 5.7 per 100,000 people.

This is down from the 17 cases, or equivalent of 12.1 per 100,000 people, in the week to September 10.

Cases continue to be low in other parts of the county including Breckland, where there were eight new cases in the past seven days to September 17 which was down from the 18 cases in the week to September 10; Broadland, which had nine new cases to September 17 compared to 12 in the seven days to September 10 and South Norfolk where the number of cases fell from 14 in the week to September 10 to seven in the week to September 17.

North Norfolk has the lowest figure in the country and remains the same with one new case in the week to September 17 compared to one new case in the week to September 10.

There have however been rises in Great Yarmouth, where cases have gone up from 14 in the week to September 10 to 18 in the week to September 17 and in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk where there has been a rise from eight to 12.

Norfolk however is still a long way behind other parts of the country, including Bolton where 540 new cases were recorded in the seven days to September 17 - the equivalent of 187.8 per 100,000 people.

The latest figures add weight to the calls being made for the region to escape any future lockdowns potentially being considered by the government to try and contain the virus.

Health secretary Matt Hancock warned a second UK-wide lockdown had “not been ruled out” to curb the growing spread of coronavirus infections.

But the region’s “significantly lower” rates of infection have prompted county leaders to call for Norfolk and Waveney to be “treated differently” and receive “bespoke solutions” to the creeping national rise in cases.

Local figures

From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to September 17; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to September 17; rate of new cases in the seven days to September 10; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to September 10.

Great Yarmouth 18.1 (18), 14.1 (14)

West Suffolk 11.7 (21), 20.7 (37)

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk 7.9 (12), 5.3 (8)

Broadland 6.9 (9), 9.2 (12)

Fenland 6.9 (7), 8.8 (9))

Mid Suffolk 6.7 (7), 3.9 (4)

Breckland 5.7 (8), 12.9 (18)

Norwich 5.7 (8), 12.1 (17)

South Norfolk 5.0 (7), 9.9 (14)

East Suffolk 3.2 (8), 9.6 (24)

East Cambridgeshire 2.2 (2), 3.3 (3)

Babergh 2.2 (2), 3.3 (3)

North Norfolk 1.0 (1), 1.0 (1)