For all the latest news from in and around Bolton, sign up for the free MyBolton newsletter The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) is expected to hold an emergency meeting today (Thursday) as concerns grow over the rapid spread of the Indian variant of coronavirus.
Bolton has an infection rate of 162.4 cases per 100,000 people in the week ending May 8, the second highest in the UK, according to the latest data from Public Health England.
The sudden rise in infections is thought to be driven by the B.1.617.2 strain of the virus, often called the Indian variant.
It is thought to have been brought into Bolton by people travelling back and forth from India and Pakistan. The Prime Minister also said on Wednesday that there is