COVID-19 cases decline slower In Telford and Wrekin than in West Midlands and England
The decline in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Telford and Wrekin has slowed, latest weekly figures show.
The infection rate has decreased by 20% compared to 23% last week, this is a slower decrease than the ones experienced in the West Midland and England.
For the week ending 31 January, the situation in the borough is:
• 566 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19
• This is a 20% decrease compared with last week’s total of 706 cases*
• The seven day infection rate for Telford and Wrekin is 315 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000
• For the West Midlands, the seven day infection rate is 324 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000
• For England, the seven day infection rate is 256 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000
• Sadly, 21 people in the borough has died within 28 days of a positive covid test in the past week (bringing the total borough deaths to 208)
• There were 150 people diagnosed with Covid-19 in Telford and Shrewsbury hospitals, as of 31 January
*(this figure has been revised up from 701 last week)
Liz Noakes, Telford and Wrekin’s Director for Public Health, said: “Infection rates in Telford and Wrekin are not falling as fast when compared to the West Midlands and England.
“Staying at home and reducing travel is the main way we can reduce our cases – only go out for essential reasons, reduce the amount of trips you make to the shops and one person should be doing the shopping.
“If you show any symptoms of coronavirus you must urgently self-isolate and get tested, getting a test is one of the reasons people can leave home in this lockdown.
“If you can’t avoid leaving home for work please get a rapid test every three to five days, more rapid testing sites have opened this week in the borough so it’s now even easier to get tested.
During a winter lockdown staying at home can be difficult, but doing so will bring down our cases faster, and reduces pressure on our local NHS ensuring that the NHS is there for us should we need them.”
Andy Burford, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “Everyone wants to get back to normal as quickly as possible, to reunite with families and to be able to go out more often.
“The way we can do this is by following the rules and staying at home, I know this difficult time for us all, particularly in these long winter days.
“In the coming weeks and months we must continue to play our part in following lockdown rules even if you have been immunised – and I’d like to thank everyone who is doing this.”
