Coronavirus infection rates are continuing to surge in Bolton and now Bury, as the Indian variant continues to spread.
Cases are rising exponentially in Bolton, which currently has an infection rate over fifteen times higher than the national average.
The latest Public Health England figures show the rate in the borough, where concerns are mounting over the rapid spread of the B.1.617.2 strain, now stands at 384.6 per 100,000 people.
On Monday 17 May, Bolton had 266 cases - which is the biggest daily total in the borough since October.
The infection rate in the town is now higher than it was in the January peak, when the country was ordered into a national lockdown.
It comes as Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that people from Bolton and other areas with 'particularly serious outbreaks' would be banned from visiting the country.
Bolton still has the highest infection rate in the country, and is up by 71 per cent compared to the previous week.
Cases are also climbing rapidly in neighbouring Bury, where the number of positive tests was up by 144 per cent in the week ending May 17.
The infection rate there is still significantly lower than in Bolton, with 46.1 cases per 100,000 of the population.
Coronavirus infection rates have gone up in four boroughs of Greater Manchester and have fallen in six areas.
The lowest infection rate is in Oldham, where the rate is 21.9 cases per 100,000 people - just above the national average, which currently stands at 20.6.
In Greater Manchester as a whole, the infection rate is now 69.5 cases per 100,000 population.
A total of 1,971 people tested positive for coronavirus across Greater Manchester in the week which ended on May 17.
The region's weekly total rose by 451 cases compared to the previous week, which means the infection rate is up by 30 per cent in the last week.
The infection rate is higher than the national average in all ten local authorities in Greater Manchester.
In Rochdale, the latest infection rate is 43.6 cases per 100,000 people. The number of cases has gone down by six per cent.
A total of 97 people tested positive for Covid-19 in the borough over the seven days ending May 17, which is six fewer than the week before.
The trend is up in Trafford, where there were 99 positive Covid-19 tests in the week ending May 17, which is 33 more than the previous seven days.
That is up by 50 per cent compared to the previous week. The latest infection rate in Trafford is 41.7 cases per 100,000 people.
Wigan saw a total of 108 cases in the week ending May 17, which is seven more than the previous week. That's a rise of seven per cent.
In Wigan, the most recent coronavirus infection rate is now 32.9 cases per 100,000 people.
Manchester recorded 231 coronavirus cases in the week ending May 17, which is 19 fewer than in the previous seven days.
The latest infection rate in Manchester is 41.8 cases per 100,000 people and that is down eight per cent week-on-week.
Oldham, which has the lowest infection rate in the region, recorded 52 positive Covid-19 tests in the week ending May 17, which is nine fewer than the previous seven days.
The coronavirus infection rate in Oldham is now 21.9 cases per 100,000 people and is down by 15 per cent week-on-week.
In Salford, the number of cases is down by 18 per cent compared to the previous week - leaving the infection rate at 25.1 cases per 100,000 population.
There were 65 positive Covid-19 tests in Salford in the week ending May 17, which was 14 fewer than the previous seven days.
Stockport recorded a fall in cases of 27 per cent, with the infection rate now 25.2 per 100,000 people.
The borough recorded 74 positive Covid-19 tests over last the seven-day period, and that is 27 fewer than the previous week.
Tameside is an area where the trend is down. The latest infection rate here is 22.5 cases per 100,000 people.
There were 51 cases recorded in Tameside, which is 25 fewer than the previous week - a fall of 33 per cent.
One more person has died in the region's hospitals after testing positive with coronavirus, in the latest 24-hour reporting period.
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust recorded one death, taking the total death toll there to 650.
