Coronavirus: Rates in Telford and Wrekin dropping slower than other areas
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Telford and Wrekin has continued to decline but at a slower rate compared to neighbouring areas, latest weekly figures show.
The infection rate for the borough is now higher than the regional as well as the national average and Telford and Wrekin has the fifth highest infection rates within the West Midlands.
Local health leaders are urging people to stay at home as mobility data tracked by Google shows that residents in Telford and Wrekin are on the move more than other areas in response.
Between 18 December 2020 and 29 January 2021 trips to the supermarket fell by 5% compared to a similar time period last year, in the UK trips have fallen 16%.
For the week ending 07 February, the COVID-19 situation in the borough is 459 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 - a 19% decrease compared with last week’s total of 570 cases.
The seven day infection rate for Telford and Wrekin is 255 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000, for the West Midlands it is 242 cases per 100,000 and 187 cases per 100,000 in England.
Nine people in the borough have died within 28 days of a positive covid test in the past week bringing the total borough deaths to 217. There were 128 people diagnosed with Covid-19 in Telford and Shrewsbury hospitals, as of 7 February.
Liz Noakes, Telford and Wrekin’s Director for Public Health, said: “Looking at mobility data we can see that people in Telford and Wrekin are on the move compared to other areas in the West Midlands – this could be one of the reasons why infection rates are declining slower.
“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.
“We’ve also seen a number of cases in workplaces recently, so I’d like to encourage people who have to go to work and have no symptoms to get tested regularly at one of our rapid centres
“Avoiding car sharing and following hands-face-space when you’re at work or on your breaks remains the best way to prevent the spread in the workplace.”
Andy Burford, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said “We know our local residents have made a number of sacrifices during this lockdown, these sacrifices have helped to protect our NHS.
“It is great to see that local hospital occupancy and deaths is on the decline – but we can do more, please continue to stay at home and only make essential journeys.”
