At last... town starts to see decline in number of coronavirus infections
THE number of new coronavirus cases in Ashbourne is finally beginning to show convincing signs of dropping, after several weeks of worrying increases.
According to the latest available data, the town’s rolling rate has reduced to 309 – whereas last week that had reached a record high of 510.5.
Ashbourne South’s rolling rate – which is measured per 100,000 population, is still above the national average.
However, the number of new cases had dropped by nearly half in the past seven days, with 23 new cases recorded since January 27.
The larger, more rural Ashbourne North ward has also seen a fall in the number of new cases, with 15 recorded in the last seven days – down five, and this leaves the area’s rolling rate at 207.9, which is below average.
As for neighbouring wards, The Mayfield, Rocester and Bramshall ward, the Cheadle North, Alton and Kingsley ward, the Ipstones, Warslow and Hamps Valley and the Duffield, Quarndon and Kirk Langley have all seen drops, while the Wirksworth ward has remained the same.
However the number of new cases in Bakewell South, Youlgreave and Taddington has more than doubled, and there have also been increases in the Ambergate, Heage and Idridgehay ward and the Hatton and Burnaston ward.
The Derbyshire Dales as a whole has seen a slight increase in the number of new cases overall in the last seven days.
This is at odds with a sharp decline nationally.
The district’s rolling rate is now at 244.7 after 177 new cases were recorded in the last seven days – last week 146 new cases were recorded and the rolling rate sat at 201.9.
The county as a whole has also seen a strong decline in the number of new cases over the last week, but Derbyshire remains above the national average for Covid-19 infection rates.
The number of people being treated for Covid-19 in Derbyshire’s hospitals is appearing to show a similar downward trend– although it is still higher than at the first peak of the pandemic in April.