The coronavirus infection rate in Ipswich has fallen after temporarily being the highest in England — but more Covid deaths have been reported in Suffolk care homes.

Data for the week to October 21 revealed Suffolk's county town had 758.2 cases per 100,000 people, with 1,031 cases being reported in seven days.

Ipswich's rate had been steadily rising since the start of September and was the highest in the country in the week up to October 14 — with 854.5 cases per 100,000 people.

After falling, the borough's Covid rate is now the 29th highest in England.

However, Suffolk's care homes have seen more coronavirus-related deaths in the past week.

The most recent data recorded three virus deaths in Suffolk care homes in the week up to October 15 — with the same number being recorded in the whole of September.

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No deaths were reported in July and August after almost all Covid restrictions were lifted.

The number of patients in Suffolk's hospitals has also risen in recent weeks, but remains far below the figures reported in January.

At East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which manages Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, there were 64 Covid patients on October 19 — rising from 39 the week before.

West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds also saw a rise from 16 patients to 24 in the same timeframe.

Last week Stuart Keeble, Suffolk's public health boss, said the spike in infections among school aged children was starting to spread to other age groups.

He added: "We have started to see an increase over the last few weeks in that parent age group of those in secondary school.”

He also said increases are now also seeing an increase in our over-60s and this “is a concern given, there are more vulnerable people in those age groups”.