The NUMBER of recorded coronavirus cases recorded in St Helens in Tuesday's figures was 91, official figures say.

Public Health England figures show that 91 people had tested positive for COVID-19 in the 24 hours up to 9am on Tuesday, September 29.

These were among the 1,816 recorded in the north west over the period.

Across the UK on Tuesday, the number of recorded cases increased by 7,143 over the period, to an overall total of 446,156 since the country's first case in January.

The health body is now including Pillar two tests – those carried out in the wider community – alongside Pillar one tests, which are analysed in NHS Hospitals or PHE laboratories.

In St Helens, the latest data public health shows that, between September 20 to 26, the borough’s infection rate was 202.7, from 365 cases.

A week earlier, between September 13 and 19, the infection rate stood at 111.6 from 201 cases.

On Monday night, council leaders across Merseyside and Cheshire met with Public Health England and the Government’s Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, to discuss the situation and possible new lockdown measures.

St Helens Council leader David Baines attended the call and said no firm details were provided about the measures, although further restrictions for the region now look “likely”.

READ > St Helens coronavirus new infections rate passes 200 mark

There have been 2,162 confirmed cases in St Helens overall since the start of the outbreak in March.

The overall rate of infection in the borough since the start of the pandemic now stands at 1,197 cases per 100,000 people, higher than the England average of 679.9.

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