THERE have been more than 130 new positive Covid-19 cases across Cheshire East and West for the second consecutive day.

The latest figures from Public Health England cover the 24-hour period up to 9am today, February 18, when there a total of 138 new cases; with 71 in Cheshire West and 67 in Cheshire East.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have now been a total of 19,253 people who have tested positive in Cheshire East and 20,130 in Cheshire West.

However, despite the number of cases being the highest it has been all week, the seven day infection rate across both boroughs continues to fall.

In Cheshire West, the rate is now 138.7 per 100,000 people after 476 positive cases in the last seven days up to February 13.

This figure is slightly lower than what it was yesterday (141.1 per 100,000) and is now at its lowest since December 12 last year when it was 134.1 before cases saw a dramatic increase until the peak on January 4 (625.8).

In Cheshire East, the rate is 122.3 per 100,000 per people after 470 positive cases in the last seven days up to February 13.

Again, the figure is slightly lower than what it was yesterday (124.7 per 100,000) and like in Cheshire West is at its lowest since December 12 last year when it was 122.6. with peak again coming on January 4 (497.7).