THE number of new Covid cases across Cheshire West and Cheshire East has continued to fall over the last seven days.

According to Public Health England, as of April 19, 2,369 new cases were recorded in the two boroughs, compared with more than 3,400 in the week leading up to April 12.

This is made up of 1,080 cases in Cheshire West and 1,289 in Cheshire East.

Since the pandemic began there have now been a total of 118,862 Covid cases in Cheshire West and 127,901 in Cheshire East.

Nationally in the last seven days up to April 19, 184,761 people have tested positive for Covid – down from 268,783 the week before.

In other coronavirus-related news, Prime Minister Boris Johnson repeated his apology to MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday, after being served a fixed penalty notice for breaking lockdown rules.

Boris Johnson told MPs: “As soon as I received the notice, I acknowledged the hurt and anger and I said that people had a right to expect better of their Prime Minister – and I repeat that, Mr Speaker, again in the House now.

“Let me also say, not by way of mitigation or excuse but purely because it explains my previous words in this House, that it did not occur to me then or subsequently that a gathering in the Cabinet Room just before a vital meeting on Covid strategy could amount to a breach of the rules.

“I repeat that was my mistake and I apologise for it unreservedly.

“I respect the outcome of the police investigation, which is still underway, and I can only say that I will respect their decision-making and always take the appropriate steps.”

Mr Johnson said he has taken ‘significant steps’ to change the way things work in No 10.