THE numbers of Covid-19 patients being treated at Leighton Hospital are falling.

While there is still huge pressure on hospitals across the country the latest government figures for admissions suggest encouraging signs at the Crewe medical complex after the numbers of coronavirus patients had doubled several weeks ago.

It comes as the infection rate per 100,000 in Cheshire East fell below the 200 mark (to 196.8) in recent days.

As of Tuesday (February 2) Leighton was treating 174 Covid-19 patients, with 11 requiring ventilation. That is a fall of 35 from two weeks ago, but weekly admissions still remain high; there were 98 people admitted with Covid between January 25 and January 31, which was a rise of one on the previous seven days.

Meanwhile, the numbers of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the borough has been been on a downward trajectory for several weeks as the impact of the lockdown takes effect.

There were 116 more positive tests reported today (Thursday), but over the last seven days there has been a fall of nearly seven per cent, with the numbers down to 750 weekly.

Rolling infection rates were over 300 per 100,000 population a fortnight ago, which demonstrates the progress that is being made, although health chiefs have remained cautious, saying the falls are not as sharp as they would like them to be.

During the second lockdown the rate failed to come below 100 and rose again once restrictions were eased under the December tiering system.