Oldham is close to recording a fall in the number of Covid cases recorded in the area.

The latest figures from Public Health England show there were 96 positive tests found in the area today.

There have been 769 cases found in the last week, which is a small rise of 1.6 per cent from the seven days before this.

The rate had been rising faster earlier in the week.

Across the UK cases are dropping at a rate of 14.3 per cent.

The rate of Covid per 100,000 people in Oldham stands at 352.2, still below the UK wide figure of 373.7.

Oldham recorded a single death today which came within 28 days of a positive test for the virus.

There have been four deaths in the last week, which is down from eight in the seven days before this.

The death rate is falling by 50 per cent in the area.

Nationally there were 185 deaths recorded today the fatality rate is going up by 1.6 per cent.

The latest deaths in Oldham mean there have been 672 in the area which came within 28 days of a positive test for the virus since the pandemic began.

The figure works out at a rate of 282.8 per 100,000, significantly above the UK average of 200.4

Oldham’s rate is significantly above Manchester’s rate of 191.5 but below that of Tameside where it stands at 308.2.

There have been 759 deaths in Oldham where Covid was listed as the official cause.

Figures show that 152,913 people in the town have had a first dose of the vaccine, which works out at 76 per cent of those aged 16 and above.

A total of 137,351 have had a second dose, which is 68.3 per cent of those eligible.

Across the country as a whole 89.2 per cent of those aged 16 and above have had a first dose and 81.2 per cent have had a second dose, so Oldham is lagging behind on uptake of the vaccine.

Figures available for Monday show that 112 first doses were given out on that date and 368 second doses were administered.