THE number of coronavirus cases across Cheshire East and West continues to climb following soaring infection rates in the past fortnight.

New Government figures released tonight, January 8, show that there were 3,856 Covid cases across the two boroughs in the seven days up to January 3.

It is the highest weekly figure in the pandemic so far, but it is a number that could still rise further, with infection rates continuing to climb across Cheshire.

The latest Public Health England data gives Cheshire West, including Northwich and Winsford, an infection rate of 595.2 per 100,000 people following 2,042 cases in the seven days up to January 3.

That number has risen from 566.6 per 100,000 people in yesterday’s data, 305.2 per 100,000 people one week ago and 220.9 per 100,000 people a fortnight ago.

This graph below illustrates the sharp rise in infection rates in Cheshire West over the festive period and into the first few days of 2021, before the new national lockdown was called.

Northwich Guardian:

Meanwhile in Cheshire East, including Knutsford and Middlewich, the latest infection rate is 472.2 per 100,000 people following 1,814 cases in the seven days up to January 3.

That is an increase over the 462.6 per 100,000 figure given yesterday, 275.4 per 100,000 people one week ago and 199.4 per 100,000 people a fortnight ago.

The graph below shows how much case numbers have risen across the borough in recent weeks, compared to earlier in the second wave.

Northwich Guardian:

New daily figures have also been announced by Government, covering the 24-hour period up to 9am today.

In that time, there were 354 cases in Cheshire West and 280 in Cheshire East.

It means there were 634 new cases across the two boroughs, compared to the 531 announced yesterday.

Across the UK, another new peak was hit today, as 68,053 cases were confirmed in total.