ABOUT one in every 100 Cheshire West and Chester residents aged 15-24 have tested positive for Covid in a week.

Latest figures show the seven-day infection rate per 100,000 people in the borough has continued to rise, in line with the rest of the UK, as a combination of the Delta variant and restrictions easing has led to another wave of coronavirus cases.

For those aged 15-19, the infection rate for July 1-7 is now 1,115, having been 0 in mid-May.

That means more than one per cent of the 15-19 population tested positive for the virus from July 1-7.

The situation is similar for those aged 20-24, where the infection rate is 999.

There continues to be a large disparity between the infection rate for those aged 0-59 (infection rate: 439) and for those aged 60 and above (infection rate: 60). More than 90 per cent of the latter age demographic have received both Covid vaccinations.

For those aged 18-24 in Cheshire West and Chester, only 17 per cent have received both jabs, mainly as the Covid vaccine was only recently made available to all adults in that age group.

Although the infection rate in the borough is now the highest since January, Covid hospital admissions have fortunately not experienced a repeat surge, with the number of Covid patients at the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust in single figures at the last count – far below January's peak of 290.