Preston’s latest coronavirus infection rates have been confirmed as the government moved to reassure people about the supply of the Covid vaccine.

The city recorded 30 new cases for Friday (26 March).

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South Ribble saw just five new cases for the same day.

Wyre was up by six, Chorley also by six, Ribble Valley by four and Fylde also by six cases.

Infection rate data from Public Health England shows Preston’s infection rate is now 90.8 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 22, down from 119.5 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 15.

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Data for the most recent four days (March 23-26) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

South Ribble’s rate has fallen to 83, down from 101.

Wyre is up slightly to 50, from 41.9 and Fylde is down to 60.7 from 68.1.

Ribble Valley is down to 65.7 from 96.9 and Chorley is up to 73.6 from 66.8.

Read more: The areas in Preston and South Ribble where more than 50 per cent of people are now vaccinated

Government say they are ‘confident’ in vaccine supply

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK’s vaccine programme will continue to be “world-leading”, despite a row with Europe over vaccine exports.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Friday, Mr Jenrick said the UK’s plans were still on track, adding: “We are confident we have got the supplies that we need both to meet our mid-April target of vaccinating all the over-50s and those people with clinical vulnerabilities, and the bigger target, which is that every adult at least has had their first jab by the end of July.

“Of course, anyone who has an appointment for a jab, either their first one or second one, there is no need to worry – those appointments will be honoured.”

See the latest coronavirus vaccine stats and information

Pressed on where UK vaccine doses would come from if Brussels did apply an export ban, he added: “We’ve chosen since the start not to discuss our supply chains. We think that’s the right decision.

“We’re getting our vaccines from multiple manufacturers, from all over the world with complex international supply chains – none of them are reliant on any one factory or any one country.

“What I can assure your viewers of is our absolute commitment and confidence that we will be able to deliver on the targets that the Prime Minister has set out, so there is no reason to worry – the vaccine programme will continue and it is going to continue to be a world-leading one.”

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