MORE than 800 further cases of the Delta variant of coronavirus have been recorded in Blackburn with Darwen.

With cases of the now dominant Delta strain, first identified in India, rising rapidly across England, vaccinations have opened up to all adults in the country in an effort to limit its spread.

Public Health England figures show 2,762 cases of the Delta variant had been recorded in Blackburn with Darwen by June 16.

That was 838 more than the 1,924 cases recorded the week before.

Those identified in the latest week were among at least 29,301 cases of the variant recorded across the North West – the worst affected of England's nine regions.

By contrast, the South West had recorded at least 1,717 cases by June 16.

Separate data shows that while the Delta variant carries a higher risk of hospitalisation than the Alpha – formerly known as the Kent – variant, analysis shows that two doses of a coronavirus jab offer around 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation.

A PHE report shows 806 people had been hospitalised with the Delta variant by June 14 – an increase of 423 compared to the previous week.

Of them, 527 were unvaccinated, and only 84 had received both vaccine doses.

The most recent data shows 99 per cent of coronavirus cases across the country are the Delta variant