The coronavirus infection rate in Bolton has dropped significantly, with the town no longer recording the highest number of cases in the Greater Manchester region.

For a number of days the borough had been recording the highest rate of Covid-19 cases in the GM region, as the number of cases were not falling at as fast a rate as the other nine boroughs.

However, according to the latest figures, Bolton has seen a significant drop in the number of cases in the borough, meaning three other boroughs are now recording a higher infection rate.

Bolton's infection rate nearly halved compared to the previous seven days, according to figures from Public Health England.

In the seven days to April 4, Bolton recorded 174 new positive cases of coronavirus, equalling an infection rate of 60.5 new positive cases per 100,000 residents in the borough.

The is a huge drop compared to the previous seven days, to March 28, where Bolton recorded 320 new Covid-19 cases at an infection rate of 111.3 cases per 100,000 residents.

Bolton is now below Rochdale (64.7), which is now recording the highest infection rate in the GM region, Tameside (64.5), and Manchester (62.8) for infection rates in the region.

Oldham's infection rate also nearly dropped by 50 per cent having recorded a rate of 59 new cases per 100,000 residents to April 4 compared to 113.9 per 100,000 in the days to March 28.

Wigan (47.8), Bury (47.1), and Salford (44), are still recording low infection rates after the number of cases in each borough continued to fall, with Bury the only borough to be recording less than 100 new cases of Covid-19 in the seven days to April 4.

Trafford is recording the lowest rate in the region, which it has been doing for many weeks, after its rate continued to drop from 77.1 per 100,000 to March 28 to 40 new cases per 100,000 residents to April 4.

The national average for infection rates in local authorities in England currently stands around 32 new cases per 100,000.

Greater Manchester infection rates

From left to right: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to April 4; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to April 4; rate of new cases in the seven days to March 28; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to March 28.

Rochdale, 64.7, (144), 103.9, (231)

Tameside, 64.5, (146), 105.5, (239)

Manchester, 62.8, (347), 97.0, (536)

Bolton, 60.5, (174), 111.3, (320)

Oldham, 59.0, (140), 113.9, (270)

Stockport, 49.1, (144), 72.6, (213)

Wigan, 47.8, (157), 86.7, (285)

Bury, 47.1, (90), 71.2, (136)

Salford, 44.0, (114), 83.5, (216)

Trafford, 40.0, (95), 77.1, (183)