MORE than half of over 50s in Warrington have now received their Covid-19 booster vaccination, the latest figures show.

Statistics from NHS England showed that 47,475 residents aged 50 and above in the town had received their third jab by Sunday, November 28.

The number represents 56.6 per cent of this age bracket in the borough.

It is only the 236th highest rate among the 307 local authority areas in England however.

Stratford-on-Avon has the country’s highest Covid booster jab rate at present, with 76.3 per cent.

Meanwhile, Fylde leads the way in the north west with 70 per cent.

The lowest third vaccine uptake can be found in Tower Hamlets in London with 34.6 per cent.

Pendle has the lowest rate in our region with 51.2 per cent.

Meanwhile, weekly case numbers in Warrington are nearing 1,000.

In the week before November 28, the most recent period for which data is available, a total of 971 new coronavirus were detected in the town.

This equates to 463.7 for every 100,000 residents, the 164th highest case rate in the UK – but the second highest in the north west behind only Cheshire West and Chester, which had 505.8 per 100,000.

By comparison, in the seven days leading up to November 21 there were 834 infections in the borough – or 398.3 per 100,000.

Between these two dates, 176 local authority areas experienced a rise in cases and 201 saw a fall.

Torridge in Devon still has the highest case rate in the country, with 1,056.5 per 100,000.

As of Thursday afternoon, Warrington Hospital had 22 coronavirus in patients – including three in intensive care – while the trust’s Covid-19 death toll stood at 568.