Coronavirus infection rate highest among young people in West Midlands

Credit: Zuma Press/PA Images

The coronavirus infection rate is now highest among young people in the West Midlands.

Figures from the West Midlands Combined Authority show that the infection rate is now highest in the region among those aged between 20 and 29.

It comes as Stoke and Sandwell join Birmingham on the government watchlist, with Stoke now registering 31.7 cases per 100,000, and Sandwell at 20.2 per 100,000.

While new data for Birmingham shows the infection rate has fallen to 24.6 cases per 100,000 people - down from 30.4 cases per 100,000 in mid-August.

  • Though an enforcement order is now in place at the Tipu Sultan Restaurant, on Alcester Road, after a number of coronavirus cases were linked to the eatery.

5 positive cases of Covid-19 have been traced to the restaurant over the past four weeks. 


As the authority acts to bring down the infection rate, it says within two weeks Birmingham will have more testing sites than any other city in the UK.

Though it comes as the testing centre at Edgbaston Cricket Ground is to be closed, as business at the ground returns to normal.

It was initially opened in April, for NHS workers, after mounting criticism over the lack of testing of healthcare workers.

For those who are unable to access an operational testing centre by themselves, a pick-up and drop-off service is to be introduced.

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