THE numbers of people testing positive for Covid-19 in Cheshire East has fallen by a quarter over the past week.

Government figures show the impact of lockdown measures can be seen in the downward movement locally which mirrors the national trend.

There were 157 more positive tests reported in the borough today (Friday) and over the course of the last seven days 1,124, which is a 366 fall from the previous week.

The latest rolling infection rate is 319.4 per 100,000 population, which is lower than the national rate of 439.1.

But as across the UK there is massive pressure on hospitals as those infected during the peak seek treatment.

Crewe's Leighton Hospital was treating 209 Covid-19 patients on Tuesday this week, double the numbers of a couple of weeks ago, with 16 people requiring ventilation.

But council leaders in Cheshire are optimistic about the rate of the vaccination roll-out with Cheshire East leader Sam Corcoran stating today he believes already 10 per cent of the borough's population have received their first jabs.

The aim is to vaccinate all the over 70, frontline NHS and care workers and the clinically vulnerable by the middle of February, while it is hoped all those over 80 will receive their vaccinations by the end of this month.

"This is a challenging target but it looks likely to be met. I estimate that already 10 per cent of the population have been vaccinated," said Cllr Corcoran in a Twitter address in which he berated "queue jumpers" and someone who submitted a Freedom of Information Request to find out the finer details of the local vaccination programme.

The Labour council leader asked people to be patient and not put the NHS under unwanted scrutiny.

"I would appeal to people not to demand details when particular groups will be vaccinated or why some vaccination centres are in some towns and not others," he said.

"I've even had one person demanding to know the full details of the vaccination plans which at that stage were still being worked and putting in a Freedom of Information Act request because they wanted more details.

"The NHS is under huge pressure, its administrators as well as frontline staff. Please don't use it (a FOI request) to add pressure to the NHS and public health teams at this time."