A new tool devised by leading university researchers has revealed how Greater Manchester could be affected by a coronavirus second wave.

Experts from the University of Oxford have created the interactive map showing 'hotspots' that could be badly hit by another wave of COVID-19 cases.

Researchers have identified at-risk regions based on the number of vulnerable people and available hospital resources to handle outbreaks.

The map reveals specific 'pressure points' where demand for health services is likely to outstrip baseline local supply.

It also takes into account data on population age, ethnicity, density and social deprivation.

The tool indicates that Greater Manchester is a lower risk area, with the region facing fewer hospitalisations in both general and acute care.

The new tool shows how Greater Manchester could be affected by a coronavirus second wave

Greater Manchester is expected to have just over seven hospitalisations per 1,000 people in 'general care', with just two in acute care.

This is better than Cheshire which has a figure of 8.5 and 2.8 for general and acute care hospitalisations respectively.

Lancashire has figures of 8.2 per 1,000 for general and 2.7 per 1,000 for acute, while London has 6.2 and 1.7 respectively.

The tool can break down the results by various categories, with users able to choose between counties or by clinical commissioning groups, which cover individual parts of the region.

Users can then choose between various measurements, including baseline hospital bed capacity (general care), baseline hospital bed capacity (acute care), excess expected hospital demand relative to baseline capacity (general care) and excess expected hospital demand relative to baseline capacity (acute care).

Professor Melinda Mills, author and Director of the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science said: "With additional outbreaks and second waves, thinking not only regionally, but at much smaller scale at the neighbourhood level will be the most effective approach to stifle and contain outbreaks, particularly when a lack of track and trace is in place."

Their research has shown areas such as the Isle of Wight and Lincolnshire to have some of the highest risk factors. These areas not only have older populations, but also higher levels of social deprivation.

The report, published today in BMC Medicine, said: "We estimate specific pressure points where COVID-19 demand is likely to outstrip the baseline local supply.

"This again includes rural areas in Wales as well as the north east and south west of England where high expected hospitalization rates combine with relatively low bed capacity. Importantly, these areas are often more isolated and further away from alternative hospital services."

Health bosses in Greater Manchester have previously revealed how they are preparing for a second wave of the virus in coming months.

David Regan, director of public health in Manchesteer, says plans are already in place to ensure the city can cope with the disease in the long-term.

So far, 2,080 people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for the virus.