NO further deaths from coronavirus have been recorded at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Figures released by NHS England today reveal that, for nine days in a row, no one has passed away with the illness at the hospital. A total of 221 people have died there with Covid-19 since the pandemic began.

The good news is echoed throughout the North West as no deaths were recorded in the region for the first time since March 11.

Throughout the whole of England two deaths occurred on Thursday, both of people aged over 60.

However, the numbers only relate to hospitals and there may have been fatalities from Covid-19 which have occurred in care homes or the community which have yet to find their way into the statistics.

Altogether, government figures state that 42,288 people have died with coronavirus in the UK since the outbreak began and 300,469 people have tested positive for the illness.

In Bolton 1,047 people have tested positive, a rate of 334.5 people per 100,000 of population, higher than neighbouring Blackburn, which is on 283.3 but lower than Bury, which has 425.5, Salford on 381.7 or Wigan on 376.9.