BARNSLEY’S Covid infection rate has more than halved in a week, new figures have revealed.

Latest statistics, from the seven-day period ending January 13, show the town’s infection rate is 1,360.9 per 100,000 residents.

Seven days earlier, the figure was 2,826.6 - more than a 50 per cent decrease.

However more than 10,000 people have tested positive for the virus so far in January, meaning that almost a sixth of the borough’s overall positive tests have been recorded in the first 17 days of 2022.

Public health director Julia Burrows said: “With the very good vaccine uptake in Barnsley, including for the booster dose, we are seeing a lower proportion of cases with severe Covid illness needing hospital treatment.”