MORE than 3,000 people in Cheshire West and Chester tested positive for Covid in the final week of free public tests.

Latest figures from the UK Health and Security Agency show that in the seven days up to March 31, a total of 3,179 new cases were reported in the Cheshire West and Chester area.

Case rates had risen in recent weeks amid a second wave of the Omicron variant of the virus hitting the population.

Free testing had allowed people without any symptoms of Covid to check if they were still infected.

From April 1, lateral flow tests will cost money, and there is no set price.

Boots will be selling them for £2.50 each or £12 for a pack of five, while Tesco is selling them for £2 each. Superdrug is offering £1.99 Healgen tests or a Flowfex five-pack test for £9.79.

Elsewhere, two more Covid patient deaths had been recorded at the Countess of Chester Hospital Trust in the past week.

One of the patients died on March 26 and the other on March 27. The total number of Covid patients to have died at the hospital trust since the start of the pandemic two years ago is now 704.

Latest available data shows that, as of 8am on Tuesday, March 29, a total of 48 Covid patients are being treated at the hospital trust, a rise of three on the previous Tuesday.

Of the 48 patients, one was on a mechanical ventilator bed.

Free walk-in vaccination clinics are available at the following locations in the next few weeks:

  • Former Huntington Primary School, Butterbache Road, Huntington, Chester, CH3 6DF. Friday, April 1st, Tuesday, April 5th, Wednesday, April 6th, Thursday, April 7th, Friday, April 8th, Saturday, April 9th (3pm-6:30pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Vicar's Cross Pharmacy, Green Lane, Chester, CH3 5LB. Friday, April 1st (9:30am-5:30pm), Saturday, April 2nd, Monday, April 4th, Tuesday, April 5th, Wednesday, April 6th, Thursday, April 7th (10am-5:30pm) - Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Helsby Community Centre, Lower Robin Hood Lane, Helsby, WA6 0BA. Friday, April 1st (9:30am-1:30pm), Wednesday, April 20th (9:30am-12:30pm), Monday, May 9th (11:30am-3pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Frodsham Community Centre, Fluin Lane, Frodsham, WA6 7QN. Thursday, April 7th, Thursday, April 21st, Thursday, May 26th (10am-4:30pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Tarvin Community Centre, Meadow Close, Tarvin, Chester, CH3 8LY. Friday, April 8th, Sunday, May 8th, Thursday, May 19th (10am-4:30pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Barbour Institute, High St, Tattenhall, Chester, CH3 9PX. Saturday, April 9th, Saturday, May 7th, Friday, May 20th (10am-4:30pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Tarporley Community Centre, High St, Tarporley, CW6 0AY. Wednesday, April 13th (10am-4:30pm), Tuesday, April 26th (11am-5pm), Friday, May 6th (1pm-6:30pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)
  • Neston Community Youth Centre, Burton Rd, Little Neston, Neston CH64 9RE. Friday, April 22nd, Tuesday, May 10th (10am-4:30pm) - Pfizer and AstraZeneca (including boosters)