SURGE testing and vaccinations are helping drive down the borough’s virus rates, council leaders say.

As Blackburn with Darwen’s Covid-19 infection rate is now at 543.8 per 100,000 people, down from 650.7 per 100,000 seven days ago, council leaders believe the drive has been a contributing factor in improving the infection rate.

Director of public health, Professor Dominic Harrison, said: “Over the last seven days we’ve seen our case rate fall by around 16.4 per cent.

“This is incredibly encouraging and I’m feeling more positive than I have felt in some time.

“I am confident that this is down to the impact of our huge surge testing operation, supported by military personnel, and the excellent engagement work of council teams. The support we’ve had from the NHS in the shape of pop-up vaccine clinics in the last month has also been incredibly valuable in helping our residents to get some immunity to the virus.”

Increased testing being made available has led to the borough’s testing rate rising by 30 per cent over the last seven days to 891.6 tests per 100,000.

The mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Cllr Derek Hardman, congratulated some of the teams that have been out on the ground in areas hardest hit by the Delta variant, first identified in India.

He said: “I wanted to meet the surge testing teams to personally thank them for taking on a difficult role, but for doing it with such dedication.

“Their hard work is paying off and I hope they’re very proud of that. Everyone in Blackburn with Darwen is encouraged to take a PCR test to help identify the asymptomatic cases of coronavirus, in particular the Delta variant.

“PCR tests are available at mobile testing units across the borough, and residents can also pick up tests to take at home from collect and return community hubs.”

Find your nearest walk-in test centre at www.blackburn.gov.uk/get-a-test and look under ‘Surge Testing’.