Bolton drops out of top 10 areas for highest coronavirus cases

Covid cases have once again fallen in the borough, according to the latest stats, despite cases rising across the rest of the country.

The town was the first area in the country to see a spike in infections due to the Delta variant of Covid-19, which is now spreading across the country.

The surge vaccination and testing programme brought in to deal with the spike in cases, with the work of the community, military, and volunteers, has been very effective resulting in cases now coming down in the borough.

• Read more: Coronavirus death announced at Bolton Hospital for third day in a row

However, this significant spike in the country meant that the planned dropping of all lockdown restrictions on June 21 was delayed until July 19.

An electronic notice board in Bolton town centre, one of the areas of the UK where the Covid variant was first identified

In the seven days to June 13, Bolton recorded 826 new positive cases of Covid-19, equalling an infection rate of 287.3 new cases per 100,000 residents.

• Read more: Over-18s now in line get the covid jab

This is a significant fall from the previous seven days, to June 6, where the borough recorded an infection rate of 312.2 per 100,000.

Members of the Armed Forces at a mobile Covid-19 vaccination centre outside Bolton Town Hall

This means Bolton is now recording the 11th highest infection rate in the country, despite having recorded the highest for a number of weeks until recently.

• Read more: Bolton’s COIVD response: The real test starts now!

Blackburn with Darwen is still recording the highest rate in the country, with 549.8 new cases per 100,000 residents, however this is on its way down.

An electronic notice board in Bolton town centre

Salford (333.4), Manchester (328.8), and Bury (292.2) are all recording higher infection rates than Bolton in Greater Manchester, with all other boroughs of the city region seeing a spike in cases in recent weeks.

Greater Manchester infection rates

From left to right: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to June 13; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to June 13; rate of new cases in the seven days to June 6; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to June 6.

Salford, 333.4, (863), 265.0, (686)

Manchester, 328.8, (1818), 242.0, (1338)

Bury, 292.2, (558), 214.7, (410)

Bolton, 287.3, (826), 312.3, (898)

Wigan, 248.9, (818), 178.3, (586)

Stockport, 212.7, (624), 212.7, (624)

Rochdale, 209.5, (466), 167.7, (373)

Trafford, 198.9, (472), 169.8, (403)

Oldham, 184.7, (438), 117.2, (278)

Tameside, 174.8, (396), 116.1, (263)