THE number of weekly Covid-19 cases recorded in Warrington has dropped to under 4,000.

Latest official figures showed that a total of 3,662 new coronavirus cases were detected in the town in the seven days before January 10, the most recent period for which data is available.

This equates to 1,748.8 infections for every 100,000 residents – the 55th highest rate in the UK at present.

By comparison, in the week leading up to January 3 there were 5,120 transmissions in the borough – or 2,445.1 per 100,000.

Middlesbrough has the country’s highest case rate at present with 2,834.7 per 100,000, while the north west’s hotspot is Burnley with 2259.8 per 100,000.

Nationally, 366 local authority areas – or 97 per cent – saw a fall in cases between these two dates while 11 experienced a rise.

As of yesterday afternoon, Friday, Warrington Hospital had 87 coronavirus patients – including two in intensive care.

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Covid death toll now stands at 596.

A total of 2,867 inpatients have been discharged from the Lovely Lane after receiving treatment for the virus since the start of the pandemic.