THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in Bolton increased by 64 over the weekend, official figures show - and figures for the borough are still far higher than the national average.

Public Health England figures show that 25,981 people had been confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19 by 9am on Monday April 19 in Bolton, up from 25,917 the same time on Friday.

The health body recently changed the way it records the figures. Cases identified through a positive lateral flow test – those which can deliver results within half an hour – will no longer be counted if the person then takes a PCR test, which is sent to a lab to be checked, and receives a negative result within three days.

READ MORE: Vaccine rollout slowing down in Bolton, figures show

The rate of infection in Bolton now stands at 9,035 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the national average of 6,817.

And over the past weekend, no new coronavirus deaths were recorded at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 7,051 over the period, to 4,390,783.

Bolton's cases were among the 603,999 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 774 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.