THE number of recorded coronavirus cases in the borough increased by 270 in the latest official daily figures released as Greater Manchester was moved into Tier Three restrictions.

Public Health England figures show that 270 cases were confirmed in Wigan borough in the 24 hours up to Tuesday, October 20.

The health body is now including Pillar Two tests – those carried out by in the wider community – alongside Pillar One tests, which are analysed in hospitals or laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

The borough had a weekly infection rate 436.9 per 100,000 in the latest seven-day rolling figure published, as 1,436 cases were recorded in the seven days leading up to October 15. This does not include the data for more recent days.

Leigh and its surrounding areas, along with the whole of Greater Manchester, were placed under Tuer Three restrictions on Tuesday by the government following an intense political row with regional leaders which failed to see an agreement reached.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham had said the region "stands firm" in its decision to oppose being moved in Tier Three lockdown restrictions but the Prime Minister intervened yesterday.

In the Wigan borough overall, 7,276 people have been confirmed as testing positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

This means the overall rate of infection in the borough now stands at 2,214 cases per 100,000 people, higher than the England average of 1,150.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 21,330 over the period, to 762,542.

​Wigan borough's cases were among the 162,230 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 5,037 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, asymptomatic, have recovered and those that have died.