Last week, as lockdown came into force across England, the rate of coronavirus infection in Frodsham and Helsby rose.

In the seven days leading up to Sunday 8th November, 27 new Covid cases were recorded in Frodsham, bringing the rate up from 236.79 to 290.60 per 100,000 people.

In Helsby, the rise was only slight, with the 11 reported infections making for an increase of two on the previous week, and putting the coronavirus rate at 219.82 per 100,000.

Similarly, in Gowy Rural, the number of cases grew from 14 to 19, tipping the rate just over 200 per 100,000 residents.

Sandstone ward, however, bucked this trend, with its six new cases pulling the area's Covid rate down from 183.08 to 122.05 per 100,000.

The instance of coronavirus in Frodsham and the surrounding villages remains lower than in other Cheshire West wards, several of which are continuing to record rates of over 400 per 100,000 people.

In Whitby Park, for example, the Covid rate has exceeded 800 per 100,000 for the past two weeks.

According to Public Health England data published last week, Cheshire West currently sits at the bottom of the top third of local authorities when they are listed in terms of their coronavirus rate.

There were 809 new cases recorded in the borough in the week leading up to 7th November, at which point the Covid infection rate was 236 per 100,000 people.

In the last two weeks there have been 10 Covid-related deaths in west Cheshire hospitals.