NEW Covid-19 case numbers across Cheshire East and Cheshire West have fallen after a one-day surge.

108 new cases were recorded in CEC on Friday, February 5, with 99 in CWAC.

Friday’s total of 207 is significantly down from Thursday’s figure of 234, and is near the same level of Wednesday’s 208.

It means that 7-day rolling infection rates continue to plateau, after large decreases.

CEC’s infection rate is 197.3 cases per 100,000 residents, with CWAC’s being 269.

It means that Cheshire East has had 18,331 cases since the pandemic began, while Cheshire West has recorded 19,227.

The figures come the day after it was revealed that nearly nine in 10 of Cheshire and Merseyside’s over-75 population received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of last month.

The NHS England data (up to January 31) shows that 89.1 per cent of those aged over-80 have had one dose, while jabs have reached 85.1 per cent of residents between 75 and 79.

Nationally, the UK recorded 19,114 new cases today, with England accounting for 17,314 of those.

It brings England’s seven-day infection rate to 257.6 — putting CWAC worse than average but CEC in a more welcome position.