BOTH Cheshire East and West boroughs have been added to the Government's official coronavirus watchlist.

That means the two boroughs are now listed as 'areas of concern'.

This is the lowest of three levels on the Government's watchlist, below areas requiring 'enhanced support' and then 'intervention' at the most serious point.

It comes in a week which has seen Cheshire West and Chester Council write to Government, requesting new coronavirus restrictions to prevent households mixing in private homes and gardens.

Those restrictions have not yet been announced by Government.

Coronavirus cases continue to rise across both boroughs, with the latest rates published by the Press Association covering the seven days up to September 28.

Cheshire West, including Northwich and Winsford, currently has a rolling seven-day infection rate of 64.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 49.6 one week earlier.

For Cheshire East, including Knutsford and Middlewich, that figure sits at 54.1 per 100,000 people compared to 36.7 one week ago.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "Our strategy is to suppress the virus, protecting the economy, education, and the NHS, until a vaccine can make us safe."

Earlier today, Warrington, Halton and Merseyside had new coronavirus restrictions confirmed following a soaring infection rate across the area in the past month.