CHESTER city centre and the Garden Quarter are now the areas with the highest Covid infection rate in Cheshire West and Chester.

Latest figures from the council's Covid dashboard reveal there were 71 confirmed cases in the Chester City and the Garden Quarter ward between June 10-16. At the same time the previous month, the number of cases for that week was under three.

That means the infection rate for that ward is 390.7 – and explains why so many hospitality venues in the city have had to close their doors to the public temporarily.

The number of positive cases is almost three times as many as any other CWaC ward.

The Delta variant of Covid was first prominently seen in the Northwich and Winsford areas before featuring in Chester.

Northwich Witton has the borough's second highest infection rate with 275.3 – and 14 positive cases confirmed from June 10-16.

There are signs the Delta variant has also arrived in Ellesmere Port, with the Westminster ward (10 positive cases) having CWaC's third highest Covid infection rate at 221.8.

The rest of the 10 wards with the highest infection rate in Cheshire West and Chester are:

Ledsham and Manor (20 cases) – 220.9

Great Boughton (22 cases) – 208.4

Winsford Dene (nine cases) – 204.1

Northwich Winnington and Castle (17 cases) – 200.1

Blacon (27 cases) – 197.1

Upton (18 cases) – 185.3

Sandstone (nine cases) – 183.1.

While the rate of cases continues to rise in the borough, the infection rate between those aged 0-59 and those aged 60+ continues to widen.

Well over 90 per cent of those aged 60 and above in CWaC have had both their Covid vaccinations, compared with less than half of those aged under 18-60 – and only 20 per cent for those aged 18-39.

A total of 473 cases were recorded for CWaC residents aged 0-59 from June 10-16, resulting in an infection rate of 191.

This compares to 11 cases for CWaC residents aged 60 and above, resulting in an infection rate of 11.5.

Residents who live or work in the CH1 3 and CH1 4 postcode areas of Chester are urged to get a PCR Covid test as soon as possible.

Despite the rise in Covid infections across the borough, there are still some areas which have yet to see case numbers rise.

Malpas, Neston, Parkgate, Shakerley, Tarporley, Whitby Groves and Wolverham all recorded two or fewer positive cases for June 10-16.