12 Haslingden residents died with Covid-19 in 2020's second wave

Almost half of the 113 Covid-19 deaths in Rossendale, Lancashire took place in the final quarter of 2020, with 12 in Haslingden alone during the 'second wave' of the tragedy between October and the end of the year.

There were 55 deaths from the virus in Rossendale in the last three months of the year, compared to 58 in the first seven months of the pandemic.

Overall, Helmshore remains the worst area for the coronavirus-related tragedy with 21 deaths, 15 in April and May.

This is understood to include an outbreak at Haslingden Hall Care Home, which lost 11 residents to the virus during the first wave. Whitworth and Rawtenstall, with 15 apiece, saw the next highest death tolls.

The figures exclude January 2021. According to the gov.uk dashboard as of January 28, there have been 123 deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate, including seven in past week. (The figure for deaths within 28 days of a positive test is marginally lower - 117.)

On a more positive note, the infection rate locally is slowing as Lockdown 3 appears to be having the expected impact. There were 267 new infections in Rossendale in the seven days to January 23 - a drop of 27.8 from the previous week. The infection rate of 373.5 per 100,000 is broadly comparable to the England average 371.8.

The point on the Office for National Statistics map signals the centre of the local area where the death occurred. The size of the point increases according to the number of deaths.

The ONS said to protect confidentiality, a small number of deaths have been reallocated between neighbouring areas.

The Rossendale Free Press has analysed the data for Rossendale and Ramsbottom postcodes to reveal the full extent of the deaths caused by coronavirus in 2020:

Helmshore 21 deaths (6 since October), Rawtenstall 15 deaths (8 since October), Whitworth 15 deaths (6 since October), Haslingden 14 deaths (12 since October), Ramsbottom 14 deaths (7 since October), Waterfoot & Stacksteads 13 deaths (5 since October), Townsend Fold & Edenfield 9 deaths (5 since October), Bacup 6 deaths (2 since October), Crawshawbooth, Reedsholme & Water 6 deaths (4 since October).