No new deaths at Royal Bolton Hospital have been linked to coronavirus for the second day.

Figures published by NHS England yesterday afternoon showed no patients had died after contracting covid-19.

The borough’s hospital has now seen 220 deaths linked to coronavirus.

Over 290,000 cases of covid-19 have been confirmed across the nation, with 1,039 people in the borough testing positive for the virus as of 9am on Wednesday morning.

The dip in the borough's death rate came as Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed the NHS Test and Trace programme was “already helping to stop the spread of the virus”.

He said: “NHS Test and Trace is a new service on a scale never seen before, designed to help us control and contain this virus, and save lives.

“Backed by our rapid expansion of testing across the country, the new data shows how we are already helping to stop the spread of the virus with thousands of people booking a test, isolating and sharing their recent close contacts.

“The service is key to helping us to return to a more normal way of life.

It is not yet known when the app to accompany the scheme will be available.