Local officials have warned the borough may follow in Bolton’s footsteps where the hospitality sector – including pubs – has been closed down again to help bring the virus under control.
The borough of Rochdale’s infection rate has risen to 65.9 per 100,000 people – the borough’s highest figure since Friday, 24 April 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
Rochdale is already under local restrictions along with other Greater Manchester boroughs but the council is concerned the measures are not working.
Councillor Sara Rowbotham, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We are very concerned about the lack of improvement in figures in our borough.
“At the moment the majority of our cases are people under 40 without symptoms but trends across the world show this ultimately leads to the spread of the virus to older, more vulnerable residents, which leads to hospitalisations and, sadly, deaths.
“We need people to follow the rules currently in place so that we don’t have to introduce stricter measures.”
Changes could include food and drink businesses opening only for takeaways, limited opening times, and a restriction on meeting outdoors.
