A FURTHER spike has been recorded in the number of new coronavirus cases across the county.

On Thursday figures showed that as many as 17 new cases of the virus had been detected across the Lancashire, but the latest data reveals a further 51 people have tested positive for COVID-19 over the latest 24-hour period (Friday).

Of those cases 31 new infections were detected in Blackburn with Darwen, with certain areas in the borough looking set for local lockdown unless things drastically change.  

There are now 1,137 cases of the killer virus across the towns, equating to 763.4 people in every 100,000.

Pendle, the third most at-risk borough in the country behind neighbouring Blackburn and Leicester in the midlands, recorded four new cases in the latest period.

The infection rate there is 553.6 per 100,000 people, with a total of 506 cases of the coronavirus.

The third hardest hit area in East Lancashire with 452 cases is Burnley, where the infection rate is 510.6 people per 100,000 of the population.

Next its, Hyndburn with 327 cases (404.6 per 100,000) in front of Rossendale where there are believed to be a minimum of 286 cases (403.4 per 100,000).

In the Ribble Valley the number of confirmed cases stands at 196 or 326.4 per 100,000 people.