CORONAVIRUS cases across East Lancashire have spiked once again – with 58 people testing positive for COVID-19 over the latest period.

Pendle saw the largest increase, with 20 new cases announced in Thursday’s figures, bringing the borough’s total to 644.

Next was Blackburn with Darwen, where 14 people were found to have contracted the virus then Hyndburn with five new cases.

In Burnley four people tested positive for COVID-19 with a further three in the Ribble Valley.

Once again, there were no new cases in Rossendale.

Public Health England figures show that a total of  1,500 people have now been confirmed as testing positive as of 9am on Thursday, up from 1,486 the same time on Wednesday.

The health body is now including Pillar 2 tests – those carried out by commercial partners – alongside Pillar 1 tests, which are analysed in NHS or PHE laboratories and which made up the first stage of the Government's mass testing programme.

The rate of infection in Blackburn with Darwen now stands at 1,002 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the England average of 472.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 950 over the period, to 308,134.

Blackburn with Darwen's cases were among the 47,442 recorded across the North West, a figure which rose by 285 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.