Preston and South Ribble’s Covid-19 infection rates are continuing to head in the right direction.

New cases recorded for Thursday (4 February) showed Preston had seen 73 new cases.

South Ribble recorded 48 new cases for the same day.

Ribble Valley saw 21 new cases, Fylde was up by 34, Wyre recorded 42 and in Chorley there were 32 new cases.

The city’s infection rate is now 333.3 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to January 31, down from 456.9 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to January 24.

Data for the most recent four days (February 1-4) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

See the latest coronavirus cases and information

South Ribble’s rate is now 352, down from 387.2 for the same two seven day periods as Preston.

Wyre is now 235.5, down from 273.9 and Fylde is 255, down from 354.

Ribble Valley is 254.6, down from 340 and Chorley is 244.5, down from 309.6.

New variant spreads to Preston

Another new coronavirus variant has been detected on Merseyside and has already spread to Preston and West Lancashire.

The Lancashire Resilience Forum issued an urgent warning for anyone feeling unwell in Preston and West Lancashire to book a Covid test.

The new mutation, which is different from the South African variant recently detected in Southport and other locations, may not have the same symptoms as ‘traditional’ Covid.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health and wellbeing at Lancashire County Council, said: “It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the three classic symptoms of a fever, loss of taste or smell, or a cough – even a headache could be an indication you may have this mutation.

“Understandably, some residents may be concerned, but all viruses mutate over time so this should not cause any further alarm. Alongside our partners, please rest assured that we are monitoring the situation closely. It is important to stress that there is currently no evidence that this mutation alone causes more severe illness or is more transmissible.”

Covid tests can be booked by visiting the government website.

Read more: Every care home in Preston and Lancashire now receiving the Covid vaccine

Vaccine programme update given

Health secretary Matt Hancock said one in five of UK adults had now received the first dose of a Covid vaccine.

There are also 500,000 people to have now received their second dose and are fully vaccinated.

Mr Hancock said Britain remained on track to vaccination the top four priority groups by mid-February.

See the vaccination centres near you and the latest vaccination stats

Mr Hancock said: “We are on track to deliver the commitment we have made of offering the jab to all of the top four priority groups by February 15.

“I’m just so proud of the team who are delivering this, it’s going really, really well.

“You saw yesterday 10 million jabs done. Today we passed the threshold of one in five of the population who have been jabbed already.”

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines