A STARK increase in coronavirus cases has been recorded across East Lancashire, as the Ribble Valley, Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley all report spikes.

The Ribble Valley reported the most cases it ever has done over a 24-hour period on Wednesday, confirming 22 people had tested positive in the borough for covid-19.

However the number was still the lowest daily increase in infections in the east of the county.

The rural area has recorded the fewest cases in East Lancashire since the start of the outbreak and rarely reports more than a handful of new cases in any one day. There have now been 357 cases in the borough.

The highest number of new cases once again came from Burnley, where 61 people tested positive for the virus. There have now been 1,284 infections discovered in the town and surrounding areas.

Burnley continues to be the most infected place in the whole country, with a rate of more than 320 cases per 100,000 people.

Next was Pendle, where 1,422 people have contracted covid-19 – 49 of those cases new.

Blackburn with Darwen’s total grew by 46 to 2,697 while Hyndburn’s increased by 29 to 979.

Rossendale reported 23 new cases, the second lowest amount in East Lancashire. There have now been a total of 695 covid-19 cases in the borough.