WARRINGTON is now among the 50 areas in England with the highest rates of new coronavirus cases.

The latest statistics from Public Health England showed that in the week before June 6, the most recent period for which data is available, there were 167 positive Covid-19 tests returned in the town.

This equates to 79.5 cases for every 100,000 residents, the 38th highest rate in the country at present.

By comparison, in the seven days leading up to May 30 there were 49 new cases recorded in the borough – or 23.3 per 100,000.

Warrington was one of 272 local authority areas to record a rise in cases between these dates, while 36 experienced a fall and seven were unchanged.

Blackburn with Darwen continues to have the highest rate of infection nationally, with 937 cases in the week before June 6 – or 625.9 per 100,000.

The 10 areas with the highest rates were again all in the north west – the others being Rossendale, Hyndburn, Bolton, Ribble Valley, South Ribble, Burnley, Salford, Manchester, Preston.

And only one place in the top 20 was outside of the north west, that being Bedford in 18th.