A FURTHER eight confirmed coronavirus cases have been recorded for the Cheshire West and Chester area in the latest Government data.

The new cases were confirmed up to 4pm on Friday, September 4, since 4.30pm the previous day.

That brings the total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began for the area to 2,173.

The rate of confirmed coronavirus cases is broadly in line with that seen across the UK, in that the daily rate of cases is slowly rising after hitting a low in late July/early August.

Factors leading to a rise in reported cases include the easing of lockdown measures, which have seen more people gathering in public places, and a significantly increased testing programme compared to earlier in the pandemic.

From tomorrow (Saturday), a new walk-through testing site in Chester will be opened, allowing people with symptoms of the virus to get tested at the Little Roodee Car Park, seven days a week.

While the number of cases is on the rise, there has, to date, been no further coronavirus deaths recorded at the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust in almost seven weeks.

The Cheshire hospital death toll stands at 725.

The Countess of Chester Hospital Trust has recorded 227 deaths (last recorded July 18), Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has recorded 213 deaths, the last on July 11; East Cheshire NHS Trust 146 (last recorded July 22), and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 139 (last recorded August 24).