MORE than 490 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded in Halton in the space of a week.

The latest Public Health England data on the rolling seven-day rate of positive Covid-19 tests showed 494 new cases for the period leading up to October 8.

This represents 381.7 cases per 100,000 residents, which is the 11th highest rate of any local authority area in the country at present.

By comparison, in the seven days leading up to October 1 there were 400 new cases – representing 309.1 cases per 100,000 residents.

Nottingham continues to have the highest rate in England, with 2,763 new cases recorded in the seven days to October 8 - the equivalent of 830.0 cases per 100,000 people.

This is a huge jump from 314.5 per 100,000 in the seven days to October 1.

Knowsley has the second highest rate, followed by Liverpool.

Data for the most recent three days (October 9-11) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.