Town’s virus deaths rate in national top 11
FIGURES COME DESPITE SIGNS THAT EXTRA MEASURES HAVE WORKED TO REDUCE NEW CASES IN TOWN
EAST Staffordshire is just outside of the national top 10 for the rate of people who have died after testing positive for coronavirus since the start of the pandemic.
The official government figures for every local authority in the UK puts East Staffordshire at number 11 on the list in terms of the rate of deaths per 100,000 people.
In total, there has been 132 deaths in the borough, which is a rate of 110.2 per every 100,000 people.
The figures refer to the total number of deaths since of the start of the pandemic and are people who had a positive test and died within 28 days of this. The actual cause of death may not be Covid in all cases, but all people had the virus when they died.
The Government data also shows there have been a total of 881 cases of people testing positive for the virus in the area since the start of the pandemic, with is a rate of 735.7 per 100,000 people.
The data does not include people who died from Covid but had not tested positive, and those who died more than 28 days after getting the result are not included.
Places that recorded a higher death rates were Tameside at 145.7 in number the one spot, followed by Hertsmere at 135.3, Folkestone and Hythe at 123.9, Middlesbrough at 120.6, Harrow at 117.5, Bromsgrove at 117.1, Epping Forest at 115.4, Nuneaton and Bedworth at 111.6, Ashford at 110.7 and Bury at 110.5.
In South Derbyshire, there have been 599 positive test results since the start of the pandemic, which is a rate of 558.5 per 100,000. In total, there have been 80 recorded deaths, which is a rate of 74.6 in the district.
The figures show the total rate of deaths is high despite the succesful efforts of people in reducing new infections in the Shobnall, Anglesey, Horninglow and Eton Park areas of Burton which had seen a spike in the number of new cases, and have accounted for most new cases in the town
The latest figures come after Monday when there was a huge rise in number of new Covid cases across Derby and Derbyshire over the previous 48 hours according to new figures released on October 4 by Public Health England, after an issue was identified with the recording of figures by the Government, which meant the number of cases rose.
The new total of positive cases for Derbyshire is now 4,974, an increase of 305.
East Staffordshire’s figures for the number of deaths after testing positive for the virus since the pandemic began includes three members of the same family who came from Branston.
Keith, and Jean Macvicar, 84 and 82, died in March, and their daughter Jayne died two weeks later, leaving the community around Branston in mourning.
The couple had been a big part of the community after running the village newsagents for many years and tirelessly fund-raising for those who needed it with garden parties, as well as helping with the bingo and tombolas at Branston Village Hall.
Single mum Rutendo Mukotsanjera, of Rocester, died in April, leaving behind her daughter Chiedza, known as Chichi.
She died at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital and was a dedicated member of the Uttoxeter Renew Church.
Sad news also came about those working at the town’s Belvedere Road hospital, with Amged ElHawrani being named the UK’S first NHS frontline worker to die after contracting Covid-19.
The 55-year-old, an associate clinical director and ear, nose and throat consultant at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, died in March at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.
Eileen Landers, a member of the cleaning team at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, died in April after contracting the virus.
The 67-year-old had worked at the hospital as a domestic assistant since 2004 and had worked in many different departments as she was known for her high standards.
■Why it is important to report how serious the Covid situation is, Page 8