THE coronavirus infection rate in Inverclyde has doubled over the last few days as case numbers surge rapidly.

The latest seven day rate per 100,000 people is now 1,104, according to official Public Health Scotland figures.

This is after 851 local people tested positive for Covid-19 between August 22-28.

The district has the fourth worst infection rate of all 32 local authority areas in Scotland, with only East Dunbartonshire (1,229), North Lanarkshire (1,227) and West Dunbartonshire (1,139) above.

It is also well above the Scottish average.

Almost 40,000 people across the country have tested positive for coronavirus over the same seven-day period, meaning that the infection rate for the country as a whole stands at 720 per 100k people.

The figure for the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde health board area, which takes in Inverclyde, is 1,014 per 100k.