THE number of people testing positive for coronavirus in Bolton is continuing to grow.

Latest figures released this afternoon show that 25 people in the area were reported as testing positive for Covid-19 on Boxing Day.

Over the last seven days 421 people were found to be positive, 17 more than the previous week and giving an increase of 4.2 percent.

Bolton's rate of infection per 100,000 of the population now stands at 153.7, but still well below the national rate for England of 374.9.

The figures show that, in Bolton, there were no deaths reported today of anyone who had tested positive with coronavirus over tha last 28 days, although this may be due to delays in compiling figures because of the Christmas holidays.

In total, over the last seven days, 14 people in the borough have died with the virus, an increase of one on the previous week.

The latest figures also show that on December 20 10 people in the area were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 and there have been 54 people admitted in the period December 14 to 20.

The R number (the number of people infected by someone who has coronavirus) in the North West is estimated to be between 0.9 and 1.1