Preston’s coronavirus infection rate has fallen away to nearly 50 cases per 100,000 people as the Prime Minister urged a ‘cautious’ return to beer gardens and high streets.

Blog Preston has been tracking the infection rate in the city and in South Ribble since late October when England faced going into a second lockdown.

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A look below at the latest Covid cases recorded during the weekend and how the infection rates have changed.

Weekend Covid cases

Preston’s Covid cases recorded for Saturday (10 April) showed seven new cases.

South Ribble saw the same number for the same day.

Ribble Valley had its numbers amended following the government technical change on how cases recorded and saw -1 cases and Wyre was up by one case.

Chorley was up by 11 cases and Fylde up by two.

See the latest coronavirus cases and information near you

Sunday (11 April) new cases recorded six for Preston.

South Ribble up by eight for the same day.

Wyre dropped by -1 and Ribble Valley also saw the same.

Chorley was up by two cases and Fylde rose by four cases.

Infection rates in early April

Ahead of the restrictions easing on April 12, the city’s infection rate has rapidly declined.

Preston is down to just above 50 cases per 100,000 people and South Ribble’s at just over 30 cases per 100,000 people.

The Easter period has seen infection rates and cases drop dramatically as the chart below shows. If you can’t see the chart, tap here.

‘Behave responsibly’ says Prime Minister as pub beer gardens reopen

Boris Johnson has urged those in England heading to pub beer gardens and outdoor dining at restaurants to ‘behave responsibly’.

The PM said: “I’m sure it will be a huge relief for those business owners who have been closed for so long, and for everyone else it’s a chance to get back to doing some of the things we love and have missed.

“I urge everyone to continue to behave responsibly and remember ‘hands, face, space and fresh air’ to suppress Covid as we push on with our vaccination programme.”

Social mixing indoors remains heavily restricted – with no changes due until May 17 – with around two in five adults yet to receive their first Covid vaccine dose.

Shops deemed non-essential will also reopen on Monday, as will hairdressers, indoor gyms, swimming pools, nail salons and zoos in another stride back towards normality.

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Read more: Preston shops prepare to re-open on April 12

The fanfare for the easing of restrictions has been muted by the national mourning for the Duke of Edinburgh.

Mr Johnson postponed his celebratory pint and Government communications have been pared back to essential messages after Philip’s death on Friday at the age of 99.

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines