A ROLLING round-up of infection rates for Covid-19 has made grim reading for health chiefs in Bury today.

Infection rates for the seven-day period to September 8 show the rate per 100,000 people is 79.1 cases. This is the equivalent of 151 cases.

For the previous seven day spell it was 33.5 per 100,000, or 33.5 cases.

NHS and council bosses have been talking all week about how people in Bury need to take coronavirus seriously, after a spike in the number of younger working age adults with the condition.

Three new testing centres are operating in Chesham, The Mosses and Whitefield, as reported lsewhere by the Bury Times, with a fourth planned for the Metro Christian Centre in Parkfield Road.

In Bolton, 515 new cases were recorded in the seven days to September 8 - the equivalent of 179.1 per 100,000 people. This is still the highest rate in England and it is up sharply from 94.9 in the seven days to September 1.

Oadby and Wigston, in Leicestershire, has the second highest rate, up from 8.8 to 100, with 57 new cases. Preston is in third place, where the rate has risen from 39.8 to 99.2, with 142 new cases.

Other areas recording notable week-on-week jumps include Sunderland, Hyndburn, Warrington, Birmingham and Solihull.

Cllr Andrea Simpson, Bury Council cabinet member for health and wellbeing said earlier today: “If you think you may have coronavirus, it’s really important to get tested as soon as you can no matter how mild your symptoms are."