Preston’s coronavirus cases recorded just a single-digit rise.

The city remains in England’s highest infection rate areas but only eight new cases is one of the lowest daily totals in months.

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New cases for Thursday (18 March) showed South Ribble recorded 13 new cases.

Wyre was up by three cases, Ribble Valley by 10, Fylde by ten and Chorley by seven.

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Preston’s Covid infection rate is now 129.9 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 14, down from 145.3 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 7.

Data for the most recent four days (March 15-18) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

South Ribble’s rate is now 106.5, down from 111 for the same two date periods as Preston.

Wyre’s rate rose to 44.6, down from 35.7 and Fylde dropped to 66.8, down from 74.3.

Ribble Valley’s rate is now 82.1, down from 103.5.

Chorley’s rate is 78.7, up from 55.

Read more: Over-50s in Preston and Lancashire urged to book Covid vaccine

Prime Minister offers reassurance over vaccine programme

Boris Johnson said the country’s route of lockdown remains on track.

Vaccine supply in April is understood to be reduced due to a delay in deliveries from India and a retest needed on a batch of 1.7million doses.

Mr Johnson said: “We have always said that in a vaccination programme of this pace and this scale, some interruptions in supply are inevitable.

“It is true that in the short term we are receiving fewer vaccines than we had planned for a week ago, that is because of a delay in a shipment from the Serum Institute – who are doing a herculean job in producing vaccines in such large quantities – and because of a batch that we currently have in the UK that needs to be retested as part of our rigorous safety programme.

“As a result, we will receive slightly fewer vaccines in April than in March but that is still more than we received in February and the supply we do have will still enable us to hit the targets we have set.”

See the latest Covid vaccine stats and information

The over-50s and the clinically vulnerable will still be offered a first dose by April 15, and second doses will be available to around 12 million people in April.

Every adult will be offered a first dose by the end of July, as planned, he said.

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“Our progress along the road to freedom continues unchecked, we remain on track to reclaim the things we love, to see our families and friends again, to return to our local pubs, our gyms and sports facilities and, of course, our shops,” he said.

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