CORONAVIRUS infection rates in Cheshire East have risen to levels last recorded more than six months ago at the peak of the second wave.

Health chiefs have reissued their plea for those in the younger age group who have not received their first vaccination to attend walk-in clinics.

Government figures showed the number of people testing positive per 100,000 of population climbed towards the 300 (295) mark across Cheshire East by the end of last week; this year's lockdown had driven down rolling rates of infection to as low as 14 across the borough just over two months ago (May 7).

Today (Wednesday) 270 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Cheshire East, while in the last week 1,391 have shown up with infections, a rise of 52 per cent on the previous seven days.

Next Monday's (July 19) abolition of remaining lockdown measures, including social distancing and mask wearing, has been billed Freedom Day.

And despite the warnings of some scientists that the fast transmission of the Delta variant will lead to a rise in hospitalisations as society opens up, the UK Government is confident the vaccination programme has broken the link between infections - which across the UK saw 42,302 test positive today with 49 deaths - and serious illness.

Locally, there were 12 people being treated for Covid at Leighton Hospital on July 6, two of whom required ventilation.

When the figures are broken down within towns, several areas of Crewe (including Gresty Road and Crewe North West) still have infection rates below 100. The highest rate in the town is in the Crewe Town and Victoria Avenue area with a rate of 268.8.

Infection rates in Haslington and Weston were higher at 298.8 and there are some much larger clusters of infection in neighbouring towns, including Sandbach, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock where the rate has climbed to 459, again a level not seen since early January in the town.

Parts of Alsager have also shown higher rates than Crewe with Alsager West recording a seven-day rolling rate of 352.1 cases per 100,000 at the end of last week.

While across the border in Stoke-on-Trent, which has high rates across all areas, it had soared to 606.1 in Talke and Crackley.

Meanwhile, the 18-39 age group is being targeted to attend local pop-up clinics and grab-a-jab sessions; including one being run by Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Cheshire East Council at the Grand Junction Retail Park in Crewe between midday and 8pm tomorrow (Thursday).

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