South Gloucestershire Covid infection rates have fallen but remain the third highest in the South West, according to Public Health England figures.

The area saw new infections decline by 23 per cent, but 13 areas in the region have lower rates of infection.

There were 184 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days ending on February 4, compared to 238 the week before.

Only Bristol and Somerset West and Taunton have higher case rates, with 211 and 192 respectively.

South Gloucestershire has more than double the case rate of the Cotswolds, which has the lowest in the South West with 80 cases per every 100,000 people.

The news comes as the NHS asks people aged 70 or older in England who would like to be vaccinated to contact them.

Almost 93 per cent of people aged over 80 have a received a vaccination in the South West and almost 85 per cent of those aged 75 – 79.

The main symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back 
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

If you have any of these symptoms, get a test to check if you have coronavirus and stay at home until you get your result.