CORONAVIRUS infection rates in the town have been fluctuating over the last few months.

There was a massive spike in infections in late April and early May in Bolton due to the spread of the Delta variant, which gave the borough the highest infection rate in the country for some time.

During the last few weeks of July and the start of August cases had dropped significantly, giving the borough the lowest rate in Greater Manchester.

However, the borough of Manchester is now recording the lowest rate in the region after a considerable drop in cases in recent months.

There is a varying story across Bolton, with some areas recording few cases of Covid-19 in recent days, while some areas have seen a significant increase, according to Public Health England.

Blackrod and Butterwick Fields saw by far the highest rate of Covid cases in the borough in the seven days to September 28.

A total of 33 new positive cases were recorded in the area, 16 more than the previous seven days, giving it an rate of 544.6 if taken over 100,000 people.

Horwich South with Middlebrook had a rate of 467.8, with 37 positive cases, Horwich East 440.7 with 27 new cases, were also among the borough’s highest rates.

Over Hulton (378.5) and Westhoughton West (386) recorded the highest infection rates after this with a handful of other areas also having an infection rate over 300 positive coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

There a still a number of areas recording some of the lowest infection rates in the country.

Bolton Central saw just four cases in the seven days to September 28. This is six fewer than the previous seven days, giving it an infection rate of 49 new positive cases per 100,000.

Rumworth North is also recording an infection rate below 100 per 100,000. The area saw seven new cases in the last seven days, five fewer than the week before, giving it a rate of 79.4 per 100,000.

Gilnow and Victory and Lever Edge also saw a big drop in cases in the seven days to September 28. Gilnow with Victory recorded 12, 10 fewer than the previous week, with Lever Edge seeing 11, 11 fewer than before, giving them infection rates of 123.3 and 123.4 per 100,000 respectively.

To view an interactive map of Covid cases in Bolton, visit coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map/cases online.