This week, coronavirus cases in Frodsham have remained largely stable, while in the surrounding villages they fell considerably.

Frodsham recorded 21 new infections in the seven days up to February 3, bringing the town's rolling rate back up to 229 per 100,000 residents: just above the average for Cheshire West.

In Helsby ward and Sandstone ward, which covers Kingsley, Manley, Alvanley and Hapsford, the week's case numbers dropped into single figures.

Eight infections in Helsby and five in the whole of Sandstone made for a Covid rate of 161 per 100,000 people, down 40 per cent on the previous week.

This reduction was mirrored in the general rate for Cheshire West, which, at 223 per 100,000, had shrunk by a third on the week before.

This comes approximately one month after the borough's rate peaked at around 600 per 100,000 people.

Cheshire West's infection rate continues to sit just above the UK average of 209 per 100,000, as other areas of the country experience a more rapid decline in the number of new cases recorded.

Council Director of Public Health, Ian Ashworth, has suggested that the slowing in Covid rate reduction in our borough may be down to our 'urban-rural geography', as well as 'cross border flow' from neighbouring council areas with higher rates.

"The direction of travel we are going in is pleasing to see, but we have tonnes more work to do to really get those rates down," he said at the Council's latest Covid-19 Outbreak Board meeting.

Today (Tuesday), Cheshire West and Chester announced that the Council had been recognised by the Local Government Association (LGA) for its response to the pandemic.

The LGA report stated that Cheshire West had "adapted well to the national challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, continuing to provide essential services and support to residents, businesses and communities."

Since the first lockdown began in March 2020, the Council has distributed over £69 million in government grants to 7,428 local businesses, enabling 70 per cent of staff to work from home.

Cheshire West has also been one of 11 national Beacon Councils for rolling out a localised approach to Test and Trace through their Outbreak Management Hub.

Reviewers highlighted the way that the Council has engaged with local people and the strength of the community response across west Cheshire, with 2,000 people signing up as volunteers, and 300 people and organisations committing to be Community Champions.

Source: Public Health England and Cheshire West and Chester Council Data

Keep up with all your Frodsham stories by signing up to our newsletter! Just enter your email address in the box below and you will receive a round-up of the week's news every Friday.