Coronavirus infection rates continue to fall across Norfolk.

The latest Public Health England figures for the seven days to January 18 show falls in all of the authorities, with a big drop in Norwich, which had seen its rate rise hitting highs of 636 cases per 100,000 people.

The latest data shows the city's rate is still the highest in the county but has fallen from 632.4 cases per 100,000 seen in the seven days to January 11 to 524.3.

Great Yarmouth cases dropped from 526.5 to 501.3 per 100,000 people.

Breckland and Broadland's infection rates have fallen below 500 cases, to 458.7 and 419 cases per 100,000 respectively. This is down from 507.3 and 525.3 in the seven days to January 11.

Only south and north Norfolk fall below the county's current infection rate of 418.8 cases per 100,000.

North Norfolk's infection rate is now below 300 cases per 100,000 people at 273.8, falling from 319.5 cases in the seven days to January 11.

South Norfolk saw a marginal decrease in cases week on week, falling from 369.8 to 335.7.

In King's Lynn and west Norfolk cases fell week on week from 440.6 to 407.6 cases per 100,000 people.

The fall across the authority is promising news, but on Friday the prime minister warned the new variant of coronavirus has "a higher degree of mortality".

The prime minister said: "It's more important than ever that we all remain vigilant in following the rules and that we stay at home, protect the NHS and thereby save lives."

He added: "All current evidence continues to show that both the vaccines we're currently using remain effective both against the old variant and this new variant."

There are further promising signs with a fall in the R number for the East of England.

The reproduction rate, known as R, is the average number of people infected by someone with coronavirus.

If the number is below one cases will decline, and if above they will increase.

The figures which are published every Friday, show that the number continues to fall during this latest lockdown period for the region and currently estimated to be between 0.6 and 0.9.

The national R number is currently between 0.8 to 1, with a daily infection growth rate range of -4pc to -1pc.