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The number of coronavirus cases in Greater Manchester has risen by around 50 percent in one day, the latest figures show.
576 positive cases were confirmed in the region on Wednesday, compared with 374 on Tuesday.
That may be the result of the evidence system catching up with a backlog of cases.
The coronavirus infection rate in Bolton reached a dismal milestone, as it skyrocketed to more than 200 cases per 100,000 people after dozens of delayed test results were announced.
It means the infection rate in Bolton is now much higher than the UK’s previous highest rate, recorded in Leicester, where it reached 159.1 cases per 100,000 people on June 25.
There has been a surge in demand for testing in recent weeks as schools reopened, many people returned to work, and the virus seemed to spread more rapidly once again.
The government-outsourced testing system has not been able to keep up, with widespread reports of people not being able to obtain home test kits or appointments at walk-ins or drive-ins.
The sudden spike in positive cases today, the largest since the local lockdown measures were introduced on July 31, may be the result of the backlog of evidence unraveling.
A more accurate guide to the current big picture is the infection rate.
This remains high in the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester and rates continue to rise.
Bolton has now exceeded 200 cases per 100,000 residents, while Oldham is at 114.7 and Tameside 105.1.
Cases continue to rise particularly fast in Oldham, 72 percent week-over-week.
Rochdale is also approaching 100 cases per 100,000 people, with a rate of 90.8.
Salford, Bury and Manchester remain in the 80s but have leveled off compared to yesterday.
(Image: PA Graphics)
Wigan, Stockport and Trafford remain in the 1940s, but are seeing slight increases once again.
Nationwide, there have been nearly 4,000 new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, the highest daily total since May 8.
That means Greater Manchester has contributed around 14% of the total, considerably larger than the region’s share of the UK’s total population.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases after testing in the UK since the pandemic began has reached 374,228.
In addition, the Department of Health has recorded another 20 deaths in the UK in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 41,684.
Separate figures released by UK statistical agencies show that 57,500 deaths have now been recorded in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
The NHS says it recorded another 11 deaths of people who tested positive for coronavirus at a hospital in England.
The patients were between 69 and 98 years old and all had known underlying diseases.
The dates of the deaths were between September 11 and 15, with the majority being September 14.
It brings the total number of confirmed deaths reported in hospitals in England to 29,687.
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