Bolton sees 'sudden and unpredicted' coronavirus spike days before lockdown eases

There has been a 'concerning, sudden and unpredicted' spike in coronavirus cases in Bolton.

It comes days before a local lockdown in the borough is lifted.

But the number of infections has risen quickly over the last few days, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The decision to lift restrictions in Bolton was announced on Friday.

Official figures show cases have increased week-on-week.

It has prompted Bolton council leader David Greenhalgh to arrange an emergency meeting with council and health officials tomorrow morning.

Bolton had been due to come out of a local lockdown this week (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

In a statement, he said: “I have been in direct communication with council officers this morning about the concerning, sudden unpredicted rise in positive cases in the borough.

"Health officials are collating the current data to provide the full picture for an emergency meeting for officers and the cabinet, set for first thing in the morning, to examine the data in detail and look at the implications.”

There were 39 positive tests in Bolton on Thursday and 40 on Friday - the biggest numbers in one day since April.

Data from August 27 showed the infection rate for Bolton was 34.8 cases per 100,000 of the population - an 82 per cent increase from the previous week.

Bolton has seen a sudden spike in cases (Daily Mirror/Andy Stenning)

The day after, that figure rose to 44.2 cases for every 100,000 people, with 40 new infections confirmed by lab tests, according to the Public Health England data.

The rate as of Saturday (August 29), stood at 42.4 - slightly down on Friday - following just one lab-confirmed case.

When calls were made to bring the town out of Greater Manchester's lockdown, it was based on data from Monday (August 24), which showed a rate 17.4 new infections per 100,000 people - and detailed a consistently falling number of new cases.

An emergency meeting is going to be held over the spike (Getty Images)

The borough has had 2,357 confirmed cases to date.

If the lockdown does come to an end on Wednesday, people in the borough will be be able to visit friends and family members in different households - and more businesses will be able to reopen in the town.

According to the rules, Bolton residents will be allowed to:

• Socialise in groups of up to two households indoors.
• Stay overnight at somebody else’s home - but must try to social distance.
• Book close contact services such as facials and brow or eyelash treatments.
• Visit bowling alleys, roller rinks, soft play centres and casinos.