Local Covid-19 cases increased in Telford and Wrekin the last week, with the borough recording the second highest seven-day case rate of all English Councils.
For the week ending 23 January 2, 814 new Covid-19 cases were reported, 292 more compared to the previous week.
The seven-day infection rate for Telford and Wrekin is 1,552 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000. For England, the seven-day infection rate is 1,001 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000.
In the Shropshire Council area during the seven-day period between 14-20 January, 2,964 new COVID-19 cases were reported. An increase of 5 per cent on the previous week. The 7-day infection rate for the area was 910.8 per 100,000.
There were 66 patients with Covid-19 in local hospitals on 26 January, up from 59 patients on 19 January. There have been four further deaths been reported within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test.
Liz Noakes, Telford and Wrekin’s Director for Public Health, said:
“More national restrictions being lifted today is good news, we are all looking forward to return to normality!
“However, we continue to have very high infection rates in our borough, driven by a high number of cases in children and young people and those in their 30s and 40s.
“While restrictions have been eased, with local infection rates so high, we want to encourage everyone to please continue to take sensible precautions:
– Continue to wear a face covering (unless exempt) particularly in crowded and enclosed spaces. Face covering are still vital to reduce transmission, even if they are not legally required from today.
– Get tested regularly, even if you are feeling well – it gives you peace of mind that you are not spreading the virus without knowing.
– Get your vaccinations and booster, if you haven’t done so already. Vaccination clinics continue to be open across the borough, it takes just a couple of minutes to be vaccinated.
“As we continue to live with the virus and with less restrictions now, we count on our residents that they’ll keep doing all they can to protect our community as much as possible.”
Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said:
“The number of positive cases has risen very slightly during this time, and the rates remain high across Shropshire. As you can see, there is still pressure on our local hospitals, with 65 people being treated for COVID-19 and 6 deaths. This pressure is also being seen in our local care sector and schools.
“Yesterday saw the end of Plan B, which means face coverings are not mandatory on public transport and in shops, COVID-19 passes for large venues are no longer required, and the work from home guidance officially ended last week.
“While the data points towards us having passed the peak of Omicron infections, there is still widespread transmission in Shropshire. From a public health perspective, I would advise the public to remain cautious; and would strongly encourage the continued wearing of face coverings if you are in busy places or enclosed spaces with people you do not usually mix with, or when visiting more vulnerable people.
“The end of Plan B does not mean forgetting about the pandemic. Some measures will remain, like self-isolating for at least 5 full days if you get a positive PCR test. Living alongside coronavirus in 2022 means understanding and reducing risks, to do our bit to reduce transmission and keep our communities safe.”
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