THE number of people testing positive for coronavirus in Cheshire West and Chester has hit its lowest rate since the pandemic began, new figures show.

Despite the presence of the so-called 'Indian variant' – which is said to be more transmissible than other strains of Covid – in the borough, the number of new cases per week is now at its lowest since March 2020.

For the most recent available figures, in Cheshire West and Chester there were 15 confirmed Covid cases between May 13-19.

That is the lowest number recorded in a week since March 14-20, 2020 – just before the first national lockdown, and when Covid testing was nowhere near as established as it is now.

Of the 15 confirmed cases, 11 were in those aged 0-59 and four were in those 60 and above.

The borough's latest Covid infection rate is now calculated as 4.4.

Within Cheshire West and Chester, nearly seven in 10 adults (69.8 per cent) have now received their first Covid vaccination – 209,882 people in total.

Over four in 10 adults (42.8 per cent) have now received both Covid vaccine doses in the borough – 128,751 people in total.