MORE than 1,400 coronavirus cases have been recorded across Cheshire in the space of one week. 

In the seven days leading up to June 27, figures show that 1,467 new cases were recorded in the county.

This included 634 cases in Cheshire East - a rate of 165 per 100,000 people. 

In Cheshire West and Chester, 833 people tested positive for Covid-19 - a rate of 242.8.

In the same time period across the UK, the figure totalled 120,966.

On Friday alone, 294 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Cheshire.

This included 146 in Cheshire East and 148 in Cheshire West and Chester.

UK cases of the Delta variant have risen almost four-fold in less than a month, with one expert saying the country is 'firmly' in its third wave of Covid-19.

Public Health England figures show a total of 161,981 confirmed and probable cases of the Delta variant have now been identified in the UK – up by 50,824, or 46 per cent, on the previous week.

Of the 161,981 cases, 148,538 have been in England, 10,185 in Scotland, 1,749 in Wales and 1,509 in Northern Ireland.

The Delta variant, which was first identified in India, continues to account for approximately 95 per cent of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the UK.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “Cases across the UK continue to rise and it is incredibly important that we do not forget to be careful.

“The best thing we can do to protect ourselves and the people we love is to get the vaccine if eligible, get tested twice a week and practise ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ at all times.

“Although cases are rising, we are not seeing a proportional rise in the number of people who are being admitted to hospital.

“The data suggest this is testament to the success of the vaccination programme so far and clearly demonstrates the importance of getting both doses of the vaccine.”

It comes as new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows a rise in the number of people in England with Covid-19.

Around one in 260 people in private households in England had Covid in the week to June 26 – up from one in 440 in the previous week.

This is the highest level since the week to February 27.