METRO Mayor Andy Burnham says Greater Manchester is preparing for a “really tough month” as the coronavirus pandemic is expected to peak.

A “Northern Nightingale” field hospital set up in central Manchester is expected to open by April 12.

While the number of coronavirus cases in the region tripled in the last week, around a fifth of police staff and a similar number of public sector workers are now off work in the region due to either self-isolating or showing symptoms of the virus.

Mr Burnham said the region is in a good state of preparedness, but he said there are still “major concerns” over issues with testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line medical staff, with not enough for hospitals, care homes or GPs.

Mr Burnham said: “It would seem there are still problems in getting a regular flow of this equipment from the stockpile.”