THERE have been 283 coronavirus cases recorded in St Helens over the past three days' figures, say official statistics.

Public Health England figures show that 283 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in total from Saturday, Sunday and Monday's figures.

This shows a reduction compared with the same time period last week, which saw 397 cases.

The health body includes Pillar Two tests – those carried out in the wider community – alongside Pillar One tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme in the spring.

According to St Helens Council's COVID-19 tracker, the latest published weekly rate of infection was 434.1 per 100,000 people, with 784 positive cases between October 14 and 20.

This does not take into account more recent days.

Meanwhile, St Helens and Knowsley NHS Trust recorded six new coronavirus deaths in Saturday's figures.

These included three patients who died on Wednesday, October 21 and three who died on Thursday 22.

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The overall rate of infection in St Helens since the start of the pandemic now stands at 2,832 cases per 100,000 people, higher than the England average of 1,346.9.

Across the UK over the three days, the number of recorded cases increased by 63,692 to 894,690.

St Helens's cases were among the 189,805 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 13,620 over the period since Friday.

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