NEW statistics from Public Health England show how Trafford's infection rates have been on the rise.

Health watchdogs say the rate for the borough is now just below 32 per 100,000 people.

This equates to around 75 new cases and puts Trafford at ninth in the national rankings.

Earlier this week clinical commissioners signalled that cases among the 17 to 23 age group for the borough had increased.

A Healthwatch Trafford official said: "If you are out this week, please do the right things to protect yourself and those around you.

"Keep social distance, wash hands, wear a face covering where possible."

Other Greater Manchester boroughs have also seen rises, with Oldham ranked at third in the national league table, just behind Blackburn with Darwen and Leicester.

Fresh restrictions were reintroduced in Oldham on Tuesday in light of the findings.

Rochdale - another borough on the cusp of a local lockdown earlier this week - has dropped to sixth in the same rankings.

But Salford has also seen a spike and Bolton appears to only be sliding down the standings as other areas report worse spikes.

The most recently released figures are based on pillar one and pillar two coronavirus tests, which are those carried out in laboratories for hospital patients and healthcare workers, and tests from the wider community such as postal tests and those from testing sites.

Data for the most recent three days, July 26-28, has been excluded as it is considered to be incomplete and may be revised at a future juncture.

The most recent statistics show there have been 1,370 cases recorded so far in Trafford.

Day-by-day records had demonstrated a steady decline overall in the number of new cases, from a high of 33 on May 19, through June.

But last week the numbers started creeping back up, from 13 and 15 on July 20 and 21, to a two-month high of 17 on July 22.