The coronavirus infection rate in Blackburn with Darwen is still rising, while rates continue to fall across all other boroughs.

The concerning figures, released on Wednesday evening, show that the infection rate for the seven days to March 27 is 110.2 cases per 100,000 people, up from 101.5 from the previous seven days. 

This is now more than double the infection rate in the Ribble Valley and Pendle, whose rates for the seven days to March 27 are 50.9 and 40.2 respectively.

All other areas in East Lancashire recorded decreases in their infection rates.

Preston, Chorley and Lancaster were the only three other areas across Lancashire to record increases in coronavirus infection rates.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 130 have seen a rise in case rates, 175 have seen a fall and 10 are unchanged.

Corby in Northamptonshire continues to have the highest rate in England, with 155 new cases recorded in the seven days to March 27, the equivalent of 214.6 cases per 100,000 people.

This is unchanged on 214.6 per 100,000 in the seven days to March 20.

Rotherham has the second highest rate, up from 137.1 to 170.7, with 453 new cases.

North Warwickshire has the third highest rate, up from 73.5 to 168.5, with 110 new cases.

The five areas with the biggest week-on-week rise are:

North Warwickshire (up from 73.5 to 168.5)

Hinckley & Bosworth (42.4 to 103.4)

Copeland (7.3 to 44.0)

Trafford (37.9 to 74.2)

South Kesteven (84.3 to 120.1)

The following list reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to March 27; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to March 27; rate of new cases in the seven days to March 20; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to March 20.

Blackburn with Darwen, 110.2, (165), 101.5, (152)

Burnley, 72.0, (64), 79.8, (71)

Hyndburn, 67.9, (55), 74.0, (60)

Rossendale, 58.8, (42), 103.5, (74)

Ribble Valley, 50.9, (31), 83.8, (51)

Pendle, 40.2, (37), 69.5, (64)

Meanwhile, infection rates across the rest of the county look like this:

Preston, 102.7, (147), 89.4, (128)

Chorley, 77.0, (91), 56.7, (67)

South Ribble, 65.9, (73), 87.6, (97)

West Lancashire, 63.0, (72), 64.7, (74)

Fylde, 53.2, (43), 65.6, (53)

Lancaster, 43.1, (63), 35.6, (52)

Blackpool, 36.6, (51), 38.7, (54)

Wyre, 34.8, (39), 52.6, (59)