THE number of cases of coronavirus in St Helens has been revised down, official figures show.

Public Health England figures show that 728 people had been confirmed as testing positive for COVID-19 in St Helens by 9am on Tuesday morning (May 19), down from 730 the same time on Monday. A week before, there were 702 cases.

Across the UK the rate of increase in this period was one per cent.

Meanwhile, there have been 639 confirmed cases in Knowsley.

They were among the 23,937 cases recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 151 over the 24 hour period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.

Across the UK, 248,818 people had tested positive for coronavirus as of 9am on Tuesday, up from 246,406 at the same point on Monday, Department of Health and Social Care figures show. As of 5pm on Monday, 35,341 people had died.