ALMOST 420 new coronavirus cases 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 419 new cases for the period leading up to October 25.

This represents 323.8 cases per 100,000 residents, which is the 63rd highest rate of any local authority area in the country at present.

The figures are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

By comparison, in the seven days leading up to October 18 there were 440 new cases, representing 340 cases per 100,000 residents.

Blackburn with Darwen continues to have the highest rate in England, with 1,203 new cases recorded in the seven days to October 25 - the equivalent of 803.6 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 576.5 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to October 18.

Oldham has the second highest rate, followed by Wigan.

Other areas recording big jumps in case rates include Charnwood, Doncaster and South Staffordshire.

The data from Public Health England for the most recent three days, October 26-29, has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.