Covid cases increased by 87, latest figures show

A total of 43,717 cases had been confirmed in Blackpool when the UK coronavirus daily dashboard was updated on March 4 (Friday), up from 43,630 on Thursday.

The cumulative rate of infection in Blackpool, which covers the whole pandemic, stands at 31,592 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the England average of 28,616.

In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, if one person tests positive for the virus more than 90 days after the first infection, two infection episodes will be recorded, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 44,485 over the period, to 19,119,181.

There was also one more coronavirus death recorded in the latest 24-hour period in Blackpool.

The dashboard shows 570 people had died in the area by March 4 (Friday) – up from 569 on Thursday.

It means there have been two deaths in the past week, which is a decrease on six the previous week.

They were among 22,837 deaths recorded across the North West.

The figures include anyone who died within 28 days of a positive test result for Covid-19, and whose usual residence was in Blackpool.

Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death.

The figures also show that more than half of people in Blackpool have received a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.