The six areas of Dewsbury, Batley and Spen where Covid cases are rising

There were 501,629 cases in the week ending March 31, a 17 per cent drop from the week before.

The wave, linked to the highly contagious Omicron sub-variant BA.2, is now subsiding in all regions of the UK, the data shows.

At a regional level, Northern Ireland saw the biggest fall, with case numbers dropping by more than a third (36 per cent) week-on-week.

Scotland still had the highest overall case rate in the week to March 31, with 1,071 cases per 100,000 residents - but this was a 24 per cent fall from the week before.

The second highest rate was in South West England, with 980 cases per 100,000 residents.

The lowest case rate was in Wales, with 322 cases per 100,000 residents - although in Wales, lateral flow test results are not counted in the case numbers.

The BA.2 wave has seen case rates hit the second highest level in the pandemic so far, after the Omicron wave of the past winter.

The high infection rates, and the resulting absences, are still causing disruption in schools and workplaces.

Across the UK, hospitalisations remain at high levels, although they are lower than the numbers seen during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.

BA.2 was given the nickname "stealth Omicron" because it was more difficult to tell it apart from the Delta variant.

Experts believe the increased contagiousness of the sub-variant is a key reason for the current wave, alongside the waning effectiveness of boosters and the lifting of many restrictions.

At neighbourhood level, Covid-19 case rates have been published for the week to March 31.

The figures include people infected with Covid-19 for the first time as well as re-infections.

Here are the neighbourhoods in North Kirklees with the biggest rise in case rates in the past week.

Dewsbury Moor Lower and Westtown had 184.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 30.0 per cent from the week before.

Thornhill had 681.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 24.3 per cent from the week before.

Cleckheaton had 754.9 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 22.6 per cent from the week before.

Heckmondwike Town, Norristhorpe and Roberttown had 891.1 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 14.1 per cent from the week before.

Dewsbury Savile Town and Thornhill Lees had 199.3 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 10.0 per cent from the week before.

Hightown and Hartshead Moor had 484.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a rise of 3.1 per cent from the week before.

Wilton Park, Carlinghow and Brookroyd had 792.7 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, no change from the week before.

Battyeford had 721.8 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, no change from the week before.

Many areas of Dewsbury, Batley and Spen are seeing their case rates fall.

Batley Carr and Mount Pleasant had 157.4 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 62.5 per cent from the week before.

Dewsbury Moor Upper had 363.1 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 44.2 per cent from the week before.

Liversedge, Littletown and Millbridge had 637.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 32.2 per cent from the week before.

Batley Central had 199.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 30.0 per cent from the week before.

Scholes and Hunsworth had 603.6 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 28.1 per cent from the week before.

Staincliffe and Healey had 236.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 28.0 per cent from the week before.

Dewsbury Central and Westborough had 356.1 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 27.0 per cent from the week before.

Heckmondwike North had 445.7 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 25.7 per cent from the week before.

Shaw Cross and Hanging Heaton had 405.1 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 21.9 per cent from the week before.

Birkenshaw had 1059.8 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 12.4 per cent from the week before.

Earlsheaton and Chickenley had 546.8 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 12.9 per cent from the week before.

Upper Batley and Soothill had 351.2 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 11.1 per cent from the week before.

Mirfield Central and Hopton had 713.4 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 9.1 per cent from the week before.

Gomersal had 858.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 7.5 per cent from the week before.

Ravensthorpe had 139.4 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 7.1 per cent from the week before.

Birstall had 682.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the latest week, a decrease of 7.0 per cent from the week before.