Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale areas with highest Covid infections in the past week

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.

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 reinfections.

Here are the neighbourhoods in Scarborough borough and Ryedale with the highest case rates right now.