BOLTON's coronavirus infection rate has passed 150, latest figures have shown.

The borough has the second highest rate in the country - after Erewash in Derbyshire.

There have been 437 new cases recorded in the latest round of statistics.

The figures, for the seven days to May 7, are based on the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in either a lab-reported or rapid lateral flow test, by specimen date.

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent four days (May 8-11) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 107 (34%) have seen a rise in rates, 196 (62%) have seen a fall and 12 are unchanged.

Bolton's Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Lowey, spoke at a press briefing earlier today.

She said: "We are aware there is a small number of the South African variant cases and also a cluster of the Indian variant in Deane, Rumworth, and Great Lever areas of Bolton.

"We are also aware our numbers are increasing across Bolton, in particular increasing in our younger population. Both in our working age population but also in children and young people of college age.

"We are working in partnership across Bolton with Public Health England, with the NHS and our communities to ensure we put plans in place to stop the virus and reduce the rates here in Bolton."