Covid-19 case rates in Bolton have climbed to their highest level since January, new figures reveal.

Overall 867 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in the week to 14 May – the equivalent of 301.5 cases per 100,000 people.

This is double the figure of 150.2 for the previous week and the highest since the seven days to January 24.

Bolton continues to have the highest rate of new infections in the UK.

Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire has the second-highest, up week-on-week from 86.2 to 131.6, with 197 new cases.

And Bedford has the third-highest, up week-on-week from 64.6 to 128.1, with 222 new cases.

The figures were calculated by the PA news agency from Public Health England data published on Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, extensive queues formed for another day in Bolton as residents lined up to be vaccinated against coronavirus on Tuesday.

On Monday Matt Hancock said the majority of people admitted to hospital in Bolton with Covid-19, which has seen the biggest outbreak of the B1617.2 variant first seen in India, had been eligible for the jab but had not taken it up.

Sabiha Umarji, who lives in the BL3 postcode, said she had not heard any negativity in her community following allegations of vaccine hesitancy.

She said: “I was a bit concerned there might be attacks, like there were with Chinese people, so I did warn my dad to be careful but so far we have not heard anything along those lines, thank god.”

“Everyone is quite positive, everyone wants to get [a vaccine], everyone wants to get out of the pandemic,” she added.

Ms Umarji said she was concerned about the Indian variant, adding: “I heard it’s more worrying and it is causing a lot more issues as opposed to the past variants like the Kent one.

“And, being an Asian community I am a bit concerned about that so I do want to get the protection.”

A new vaccine centre was opened in Bolton’s Quebec Hall on Tuesday. Residents do not need an appointment but must be registered with a Bolton GP.

Meanwhile, Pharmacy2U said it was opening extra vaccine sites in Blackburn this week where there has been a similar rise in cases of the Indian variant.

Additional reporting by PA

The Covid-19 vaccines authorised for emergency use in the United States are effective against the coronavirus variant first detected in India, Dr Anthony Fauci has said.

Experts have hypothesised that the B.1.617 variant was likely leading to the stark rise in infections, hospitalisations, and deaths in India. The country currently makes up 50 per cent of global Covid-19 cases and 30 per cent of global deaths due to the novel virus, according to the World Health Organisation.

The rise of the new variant sparked concern about how the available vaccines’ effectiveness could be impacted, writes Danielle Zoellner.

UK holidaymakers heading to Portugal who fail to wear a face mask on the beach, do not comply with social distancing, or play sport on busy sands could face a fine of up to €100 (£86), it has been reported.

While the wearing of face coverings is already mandatory upon entry and exit from beaches in Portugal – and while using shower and changing facilities – local media reports state that from Wednesday 19 May, Maritime Police will be cracking down on those who refuse to comply with local measures, writes Joanna Whitehead.

The UK recorded 2,412 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, a rise of more than 400 from the day before.

A further seven people died within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus.

Travelling is dangerous and “not for this year”, a health minister has said as he urged people to stay in the UK.

Tory frontbencher Lord Bethell suggested that people should not be going abroad at all this year, stressing that “travel is dangerous” due to difficulties over segregation during the journey, including at airports.

He made his remarks amid continuing concern over the rise in cases of the highly transmissible Indian coronavirus variant in parts of England.

Speaking at Westminster, Lord Bethell told peers: “Travelling is dangerous. That is not news to us or to the people who get on those planes in the first place.

“We do ask people, particularly as we go into the summer, travelling is not for this year, please stay in this country.”

India has lost 270 doctors to its devastating second wave of the Covid pandemic, with as many as 50 of these deaths recorded in just a single day on Sunday, according to new data issued by the country’s largest association of doctors, Shweta Sharma reports.

Speaking to The Independent, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr J A Jayalal said a worryingly high proportion of the country’s doctors and medical staff are still not fully vaccinated.

A total of 48,112,071 Covid-19 vaccinations took place in England between 8 December and 17 May, according to NHS England data, including first and second doses, which is a rise of 296,388 on the previous day.

NHS England said 30,729,420 were the first dose of a vaccine, a rise of 85,946 on the previous day, while 17,382,651 were a second dose, an increase of 210,442.

British holidaymakers have been left confused by the government’s advice after international leisure travel became legal again on 17 May, writes Helen Coffey.

Foreign travel has opened up in England under a traffic light system, with countries classified as green, amber or red and given restrictions to match based on the risk of importing coronavirus infections back into the UK.

While the Department for Travel has warned Brits against visiting amber and red destinations for “leisure” purposes, a government minister has said it is fine to travel to an amber country “to see friends”.

What shall we do about the anti-vaxxers? A presumptuous question, I know, because they’re human beings, same as the majority of the population who choose to take the Covid-19 vaccines, and we’re all entitled to do what we will or won’t with our own bodies, writes Sean O’Grady.

But the time has come when the hard choices are looming closer. If we don’t want this Covid crisis to last forever, we need some new simple, guidelines: No jab, no job; no jab, no access to NHS healthcare; no jab, no state education for your kids. No jab, no access to pubs, restaurant, theatres, cinemas, stadiums. No jab, no entry to the UK, and much else.

Surge testing is being carried out in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, following the detection of the Indian-origin Covid-19 variant.

NHS Test and Trace is conducting extra tests and genomic sequencing in the Wembrook and Abbey wards of the town following the identification of confirmed cases of the B1617.2 mutation.

Everyone who lives or works in the targeted areas, including all children over the age of two, are being asked to take a PCR test whether they are showing symptoms or not.

Enhanced contact tracing will be used for individuals who test positive with a variant of concern, meaning tracers will examine an extended period to determine the route of transmission.