Cheshire East's portfolio holder for public health has claimed that the "majority" of positive Covid-19 cases are linked to household settings rather than education establishments.

Speaking as a resident at yesterday's (Tuesday) Cheshire East Council Cabinet meeting, Alsager Town councillor Sue Helliwell spoke about the number of positive Covid-19 cases within Alsager.

At the time of writing her question to cabinet, Alsager had 59 reported positive Covid-19 cases.

However, since submitting the question, the latest Covid-19 figures show that the Alsager West ward is no longer in the highest bracket for coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

While 19 cases were reported in Alsager West in the seven days up to 5 November, that was a drop of 12, meaning it had a rolling rate of 334.5 per 100,000 people.

With the drop in cases, the ward is now shaded dark blue rather than purple in the weekly map for Cheshire East.

Purple represents areas with the highest rolling rate of 400 cases or more per 100,000, dark blue 201 or more per 100,000 and lighter blue 101 or more.

The latest figures show that Alsager East registered 18 new cases, a decrease of three, with a rolling rate of 275.4 per 100,000 people.

Mrs Helliwell asked whether Cheshire East was working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, and if a joint press release would be issued to "help the residents of Alsager".

Mrs Helliwell said: "Whilst your seeing cases of Covid infections linked to schools, initial analysis appears to indicate that most transmissions of infections have occurred in social or household settings.

"Can Cheshire East Council confirm what is the percentage of Covid infection rate linked to schools and our sixth form college in Alsager where pupils travel to and from Stoke, Kidsgrove and Crewe."

According to the latest statistics, the nearest purple area to Alsager is Kidsgrove West, East and Central.

Kidsgrove West has a rolling rate of 539.4, while Kidsgrove East and Central having rolling rates of 596.4 and 763.0 over the same period.

Responding to Mrs Helliwell, Cllr Jill Rhodes, portfolio holder for public health, said: "I can understand your concern as the Covid infection rates are hopefully platooning, but they are a real concern to all of us."

Cllr Rhodes told the meeting that last month in Alsager there were 163 positive Covid-19 cases with 19 linked to education establishments, ten of those were from Alsager itself and 9 from another area.

Cllr Rhodes added: "The majority of cases are linked to household settings rather than education settings.

"Cheshire East for national health purposes is linked to the general Cheshire & Merseyside region and the public health department works closely with other authorities in that region.

"We do however closely work with our neighbours and exchange information, as things stand we would not usually issue a joint press release with other councils.

"Alsager is in Cheshire and I know residents have access to press releases from neighbouring authorities."