Poorer regions of UK struggling to control coronavirus cases: Study

While the number of coronavirus cases has been decreasing in the UK, the same is not being observed for the poorer sections of the country.

According to the analysis of government data, the number of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people remained higher in the last week of January in the poorer sections of the country rather than the wealthy ones.

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This data, which has been verified by the House of Commons library and compiled by Labour from official statistics, has raised concerns. Scientists believe that when the lockdown ends if this trend continues and some areas have higher infection rates than others then the virus can spread and lead the country back to square one.

In several areas, the decline in cases was 9 per cent to 14 per cent, whereas the declining percentage was much higher (such as 70 per cent) in other well-off areas such as Oxford West and Abingdon constituency in the last week of January.

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Some experts believe this gap shows the incompetence of the Boris Johnson-led government which has allegedly failed to help the low-income groups of the country.

"Given we’re grappling with new, more infectious variants, some of which may partially evade vaccines, it’s now more urgent than ever this is fixed," Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s shadow health secretary said. "Without decent financial help, transmission chains won’t be broken in these areas. People will remain at risk of illness while Boris Johnson’s promise to ‘level up’ lies in tatters."

Scientists have also warned the rise in the danger level if people communicate from the better-off areas to these poorer regions that are in danger of higher infection rates.