Coronavirus: Rochdale introduces new Covid-19 measures

Residents across Rochdale are "strongly advised" to take extra precautions, the council has said

Rochdale has brought in new measures to avoid a local lockdown, as the town's director of public health warned the fight against the virus "is not over".

Residents have been asked to wear face coverings in shops and limit visitors at home to two people.

It follows Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle in introducing new measures.

Rochdale Council said it recorded one of the highest rates of new cases among large councils in England during the fortnight to 12 July.

Data for the period released on Friday showed there were 149 confirmed cases in Rochdale, equivalent to nearly 68 per 100,000 of population.

Leicester, which is subject to a localised lockdown, was highest with 237 cases per 100,000 over the same period.

Rochdale Council's director of public health, Andrea Fallon, said: "The fight against coronavirus is not over.

"Although lockdown measures are being relaxed across the country, we can see from our local data that we need to remain vigilant to the threat posed by the disease.

"We have increased testing and that has shown us that we need to take action and ask everyone to help keep our infection rate down."

The measures will be reviewed in two weeks.

Council leader Allen Brett said: "All of us need to do whatever we can to keep the virus under control.

"Although we are a long way from the Leicester situation, we cannot be complacent and it is vital that everyone does what they can to keep this virus under control."

Other precautions advised include wearing face coverings in public as much as possible and keeping two metres apart at all times.