EIGHT more patients have now died at the Royal Bolton Hospital after contracting coronavirus.

Six people who died on Saturday, and another two people who died on Sunday have had their deaths linked to covid-19.

The latest update reveals that 363 patients at the borough hospital have now died after contracting the virus.

As of November 12, the last time this data was made available, 625 patients who were treated for covid-19 infections at the hospital had been discharged.

Only those who get seriously unwell with the virus need hospital treatment – which is why just over a third of covid-19 patients at the hospital have sadly died, despite the borough mortality rate being just under 2.5 per cent.

Yesterday afternoon, a further 90 new infections were recorded across the borough.

Since March, 14,542 people have tested positive for covid-19.

The number of cases recorded in the seven-days up until November 19 fell below 1,000 for the first time in over a month.

Just 977 new cases were recorded in that time, the lowest number sine the week to October 12.

The infection rate for the borough has fallen to 339.8 cases per 100,000 people.