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Coronavirus infections fell by almost a third in England during the second national lockdown, research suggests.

The latest weekly figures from Public Health England show all 30 local authority areas in the West Midlands again recorded a fall in new cases.

The biggest week-on-week drop was in Lichfield, where the rate fell from 370.4 to 194.7 per 100,000 people for the week up to 25 November.

Stoke-on-Trent and Dudley remain the highest in the region, and among the highest in England, although Dudley saw its rate fall from 506.5 to 338.9.

Both areas are set to enter tier three when lockdown ends on 2 December.

The trust that runs Royal Stoke University Hospital says it is seeing "significant pressure" in its critical care department.

Last week, the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust moved its internal incident level to level 4 for Critical Care - the highest available.

Image source, Google

It said it has been receiving support from neighbouring trusts with additional critical care capacity and it was seeing a steady fall in the number of patients requiring a critical care bed.

Chief Executive Tracy Bullock said the trust had taken action as part of its surge plans "to prioritise urgent and emergency care and ensure our sickest patients receive timely treatment".

Stoke-on-Trent remains has the highest rate of new Covid-19 cases in the West Midlands, and one of the highest in England.

However, the rate of infections in the city have fallen for at least two consecutive weeks and it said that was having a positive impact on reducing the number of people in hospital.

Super League side Warrington Wolves cancel the contract of former Wigan centre Anthony Gelling by mutual consent.

Benjamin Wilkinson caused Steven Carey "catastrophic injuries" in a street fight over a debt, police say.

Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather

It will be an overcast day with some patchy rain or drizzle and highs of 10°C (50°F).

The latest news, sport, travel and weather across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

Students have lost hundreds of days of education to Covid and self-isolation. How are they coping?

Fog patches across the West Midlands could cause some travel disruption, the Met Office is warning.

Image source, Met Office

It has issued a yellow weather warning, external which is in place until 12:00.

Sara Thornton
BBC Weather

It will be a mostly dry but cold day with some patchy fog yet also bright spells and highs of 4°C (39°F).

A swathe of areas in the region will be placed in tier three - the highest alert category.

In case you're just joining us, here's a round-up of the news on post-lockdown tiers.

Five areas of the West Midlands will move in to tier two restrictions once lockdown ends - Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Cheshire.

All the others will be placed under tougher tier three restrictions.

There will be no parts of the West Midlands returning to tier one, although all this will be reviewed after a fortnight and some areas could be downgraded.

The government has explained the reasoning behind each of the decisions and generally speaking the areas with the higher infection rates and greatest pressure on the local NHS are in tier three.

A number of areas are in a different tier to the one they were in when lockdown started, with Warwickshire showing the biggest shift - up from tier one to tier three.

Three other people were discharged at the scene in Tunstall after being rescued.

High case rates of more than 236 per 100,000 people have been put forward by the Department of Health (DoH) , externalas the reason for areas in the West Midlands being in tier three.

All of Birmingham and the Black Country, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull have rates currently higher than this.

But the government placed Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin (200 per 100,000), Herefordshire (160.3) and Worcestershire (201) in tier two from the end of lockdown.

For the tier three areas, the DoH added the pressure on the local NHS in those places "remains high".

BBC Weather

A dry day with any low patches of cloud and fog clearing away to leave sunny spells for most areas. There'll be gentle winds, turning chilly after sunset with a high today of 8C/46F.

Image source, BBC Weather Watcher Stormchaser Al

Dry and chilly tonight with clear spells to begin, before large areas of low cloud and fog move in. Low: 2C/36F.

You can get the latest forecast for your area by going to the BBC Weather website.

Four people were rescued from the house in Stoke-on-Trent and one remains in a critical condition.

BBC Radio Stoke

The government is being urged not to put Staffordshire in the highest Covid tier once lockdown is lifted.

Image source, PA Media

The three-tiered regional measures will return in England from 2 December, the prime minister confirmed this week.

Areas will find out which tier they are in on Thursday, with the decision based on factors including case numbers, the reproduction rate - or R number - and pressure on local NHS services.

Staffordshire County Council leader Alan White said he wanted to avoid the county being placed in the highest tier.

"I want to make sure the tier we are allocated is proportionate and I want to make sure that it gives us the best chance of getting back on our feet once this crisis is over", he told BBC Radio Stoke.

"The number of businesses that are contacting the county council all the time in distress as a result of the regulations means that I am really keen we get back on it as soon as we possibly can."

Martin Payne claimed to be collecting money for the NHS, Staffordshire Police says.