THERE has been an increase of 39 new cases of coronavirus in the borough in the latest daily figures.

Public Health England figures show that another 39 people confirmed as testing positive for COVID-19 by 9am on Thursday (September 17) in Wigan borough.

This is a smaller increase than the 52 recorded in the previous day's numbers.

On Tuesday 23 were recorded with 30 on Monday and 23 for both Saturday and Sunday.

The latest rolling seven-day infection rate for Wigan borough is 58.7 per 100,000 people with 193 cases confirmed in the week leading up to September 14.

This compared with a rate of 40.8 per 100,000 and 134 cases in the previous week leading up to September 7.

Public Health England is now including Pillar two tests – those carried out in the wider community commercial partners – alongside Pillar one tests, which are analysed in NHS Hospitals or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

There have been 2,678 people now confirmed as testing positive in the borough since the start of the pandemic.

This is a rate of 815 cases per 100,000 people, higher than the England average of 585.

Cumulative case counts include all people who have had a positive test result, whether asymptomatic, currently infected or ill, those who have recovered and those that have died.