Covid-19 back on the rise among older people amid Omicron 'stealth variant' and Manchester health leaders 'concerned'

Coronavirus rates are back on the rise across Greater Manchester - with half-term, mixing without restrictions, waning immunity, and a more transmissible 'stealth' version of the Omicron variant all thought to be among the reasons for a resurgence.

Rates of Covid-19 have gone up in all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester for the second day in a row, with the region's public health directors sharing fears that without free mass testing, they will 'not have sufficient warning' should another wave take hold.

Meanwhile, a new scientific study has found evidence of an uptick among older people in particular, prompting concerns as the age group is more vulnerable to severe Covid-19 - and its immunity may have waned, as many had their booster vaccines months ago.

READ MORE: Fears Manchester 'won't have enough warning' to prepare for another Covid-19 wave as government axes free testing

Across Greater Manchester, the infection rate is now 223.9 cases per 100,000 population, as a total of 6,348 people tested positive for coronavirus in the week which ended on March 5.

The Greater Manchester weekly total has increased by 1,252 cases compared to the previous week, which means the infection rate was up 25 percent in the last week.

Nationally, latest government figures show a 46 per cent rise in new recorded UK cases week on week – to 346,059 over the past week – and a 12 per cent rise in hospitalisations to 8,950.

Scientists on Imperial College’s React-1 study, shared on Tuesday (March 10), carried out 95,000 swabs from homes across England.

The study revealed that, while infections have fallen overall since the January Omicron peak, one in 35 people tested positive between 8 February and 1 March.

Cases have either been level or