Covid-19 cases are soaring in Greater Manchester's hotspots as the Prime Minister considers introducing tougher restrictions to get a grip on the Omicron variant.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has refused to rule out any lockdown rules being implemented before Christmas, as he said there are ‘no guarantees in this pandemic’.

The government has already announced the introduction of ‘Plan B’ measures in England to tackle the new Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), published at the weekend, warned there are likely already hundreds of thousands of new Omicron infections every day in England.

They said that hospital admissions with the variant in the UK are ‘probably around one tenth of the true number’ due to a lag in reporting.

England’s chief nursing officer Ruth May has urged a ‘final festive booster bounce’ for the jabs programme, telling people there is ‘no room for complacency’ and to book their slots – which include availability on Christmas Day.

A total of 18,610 people tested positive for coronavirus across Greater Manchester in the week which ended on December 15.

The Greater Manchester weekly total has increased by 6,198 cases compared to the previous seven day period, which means the infection rate was up 50 per cent in the last week.

Trafford continues to have the highest coronavirus infection rate in Greater Manchester at a rate of 947.1 cases per 100,000 people in the week to December 15.

The majority of the top ten local ‘blackspots’ for the virus are in Trafford, with just two other boroughs making an appearance on the list.

However all ten hotspot neighbourhoods have an infection rate of well over a thousand, up from the national average of 646.

There are also no areas in the region where cases of the virus are now in single figures.

In the week to December 14, the latest hyperlocal data shows the biggest hotspot was Sale East in Trafford.

It recorded an infection rate of 1347.3, with 112 new incidences of the virus, an increase of 64 cases.

This is a rise of 133.3 per cent from the previous week.

In second place is Timperley South, also in Trafford where there were 103 cases and the rate was 1342.

City Centre North and Collyhurst in Manchester follows with a rate of 1294.4, and 97 cases of Covid-19 being recorded – a rise of 62.

Timperley North in Trafford is in fourth place with 102 new cases and a local infection rate of 1200.7 per 100,000 people.

Next is Altrincham East in Trafford, where the 118 weekly cases led to a rate of 1149.4.

Hulme Park and St George’s in Manchester is in sixth place.

It recorded 76 new cases of Covid-19, totalling an infection rate of 1124.4.

This was an increase of 57 new cases from the previous week, an eye-watering 300 per cent rise.

Sale Moor, in Trafford, had a rate of 1111.4 in the week to December 14, with 92 people testing positive for coronavirus.

In eighth place is the Stockport neighbourhood of Bramhall North West, where 64 cases of the virus were recorded.

This works out as a local infection rate of 1073.1 per 100,000 people.

Withington East in Manchester is next with 88 cases, equalling a rate of 1067.7.

Finally Chorlton North, also in Manchester, is in tenth place with 101 cases and a local infection rate of 1062.9.

At the other end of the scale, Deeplish in Rochdale has the lowest infection rate in the region, standing at 160.3 with 16 new cases.

This was a drop of 12 cases from the previous seven day period.

It is followed by Broughton Park in Salford, with 13 cases and a rate of 176.8.

In third place is the Oldham neighbourhood of Salem, where 15 people tested positive in the week to December 14.

This equals a rate of 192.3 per 100,000 people.

Droylsden East in Tameside is next with 16 new cases and a rate of 203.1.

In fifth place is the Bolton area of Central Bolton.

The 17 cases recorded there convert to an infection rate of 208.4.

Platt Bridge and Spring View in Wigan follows with a rate of 224.3 and 21 new cases of Covid-19.

Healey, Syke and Shawclough in Rochdale is in seventh place with a local rate of 225.4, and 21 cases recorded in the week to December 14.

Blackrod and Butterwick Fields in Bolton also makes it into the top ten areas with the lowest infection rates with a rate of 231.1 and 14 new cases.

Busk in Oldham is in ninth place with 23 incidences of the virus, resulting in an infection rate of 244.7.

Finally Wardleworth and Newbold Brow in Rochdale is in tenth place with a rate of 247.6 from 25 new cases.