THE number of coronavirus cases in the borough has increased to three, Wigan Council has confirmed this afternoon, Friday.

The council announced yesterday, Thursday, that they were aware of two cases of COVID-19 in the borough but director of public health at the local authority Professor Kate Ardern said another person is being treated for the virus.

This afternoon the Government also said there are 163 cases of the virus in the UK with 147 of them in England.

In line with patient confidentiality, Prof Ardern did not disclose which areas of the borough the patients are from.

It was also not revealed if the cases are linked to the closure of Garrett Hall Primary School in Tyldesley, which was shut yesterday, Thursday, and today, Friday, for deep cleaning after a pupil's family came into contact with two people who have coronavirus.

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Prof Ardern said: "We understand that the announcement of confirmed cases in Wigan borough may cause concern but we want to reassure residents that the risk to the public remains low and that we are in constant conversations with Public Health England to manage the current situation.

"What we are doing at the moment is containing and delaying the spread of the virus. 

"Due to patient confidentiality the exact locations of the causes cannot be published."

Prof Ardern was keen to stress that the risk to the public remains low and that people should continue to practice good hygiene to avoid the virus from spreading.

Prof Ardern added: "We continue to stress the importance of regular hand washing."

Prof Ardern also made the point that people regularly touch their faces and noses throughout the day and it is advised we should wash their hands regularly to prevent germs from spreading.

Handkerchiefs should be thrown away after they have been used as well.

Those over the age of 80 with underlying medical conditions are highest at risk from COVID-19 but the death rate for that group of the population is only one percent, Prof Ardern said.

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