THE numbers of patients being treated for coronavirus in Leighton Hospital has risen to its high level for more than three months as infection rates soar in Cheshire East.

Last week (July 13) there were 17 people undergoing hospital treatment for the virus in the Crewe medical complex, two of whom required ventilation.

Hospitalisations have been gradually creeping up into double figures in recent weeks as the numbers who are testing positive for Covid are rising steeply.

The last time a similar level of patients were receiving treatment for the disease was on April 8. Numbers peaked as high as 209 at in the second wave back in early January and 103 in the first wave on May 3 last year.

The government maintained that it was confident the link between hospitalisation and infection had been weakened significantly by the mass vaccination programme before it moved to lift nearly all the country's restrictions yesterday (Monday).

But health chiefs are concerned about the climbing cases in the North West and in Cheshire East, where 227 more people tested positive for Covid today (Tuesday).

In the last seven days 1,912 people have tested positive, a rise of 50.4 per cent on the previous seven days.

While the rolling rate of infection in the borough numbered 449 per 100,000 people, higher than at any time in the last six months.

Rates in Alsager West are higher than neighbouring areas, including Crewe and Haslington, with 39 people testing positive in the week up to July 15 when the rolling rate was 686.6 per 100,000 population.

Most of Crewe had rolling rates over 400, with the most cases in Crewe Coppenhall and Underwood where 39 people tested positive for Covid in the week up to July 15.