THE rate of new coronavirus cases in Warrington has dropped to 100 for every 100,000 residents.

Data from Public Health England showed that there were 210 positive Covid-19 tests recorded in the town in the seven days leading up to February 26, the most recent period for which statistics are available.

This equates to exactly 100 for every 100,000 people living in the borough, and is the 106th highest rate in the country.

By comparison, 287 new cases were reported in the week before February 19 – or 136.7 per 100,000.

Of the 315 local authority areas in England, 290 – or 92 per cent – saw a fall in infections while 22 saw a rise and three were unchanged.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 97 coronavirus patients in Warrington Hospital – including 11 in intensive care.

Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Covid-19 death toll now stands at 469.

But, since the start of the pandemic, 1,786 inpatients have been discharged after receiving treatment for the virus.