Preston’s coronavirus infection rate has continued to fall as the government confirmed it was extending the option of lockdown powers in England through until October.

Latest coronavirus cases show the city recorded 23 new cases for Thursday (25 March).

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South Ribble saw 21 new cases for the same day.

Ribble Valley saw six new cases, Wyre the same number, Fylde also six and Chorley recorded 17 new cases.

Preston’s infection rate is at 92.9 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 21, down from 129.9 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 14.

See the latest coronavirus cases and information near you

Data for the most recent four days (March 22-25) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

South Ribble’s Covid infection rate is now 83.9, down from 105.6 for the same two date periods as Preston.

Wyre is at 54.4, down from 44.6 and Fylde is at 61.9, down from 66.8.

Chorley’s rate is 63.4, down from 78.7 and Ribble Valley’s rate held at 82.1 with no week-on-week change.

Read more: Area by area coronavirus cases for Preston and South Ribble

Covid lockdown laws extension granted

The Prime Minister faced a backlash to extending the Coronavirus Act until October.

35 Conservative MPs and 21 Labour MPs voted against the laws being extended.

The extension of measures in the Act was approved by 484 to 76, majority 408.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock explained some of the powers in the Act need to be renewed every six months, including measures to protect tenants and renters from eviction and to provide statutory sick pay to people throughout a period of self-isolation.

Boris Johnson sought to calm fears over the possible introduction of coronavirus health certificates as publicans criticised plans which could see landlords demanding to see drinkers’ papers before letting them have a pint.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the “moral complexities” around a domestic vaccine passport scheme and suggested that it might only be possible to introduce one after all adults had been offered a vaccine at the end of July.

Read more: Preston buildings bathed in yellow to remember those lost to Covid

The Government will say more on the possible use of Covid status certificates in early April, and suggested they could also be based on whether individuals have developed antibodies through infection, as well as vaccinations and negative tests.

But landlords rejected their use after his earlier suggestion it could be up to them to decide whether to screen customers’ certificates on entry, ahead of fresh details emerging of a possible incentive for pubs to adopt the measure.

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Mr Johnson defended his credentials as a “freedom lover” as Tory MPs criticised the Government’s “oppressive” and “draconian” coronavirus legislation.

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