246 per cent spike in cases in small area blamed on nearby prison
MARCHINGTON, ABBOTS BROMLEY AND YOXALL FIGURES AFFECTED BY OUTBREAK AT HMP DOVEGATE
A HUGE leap in new Covid-19 cases in a rural East Staffordshire neighbourhood has been blamed on an outbreak at a prison.
The official figures for the Government-defined “Marchington, Yoxall and Abbots Bromley” area recorded a 246 per cent spike for the seven days up to November 8.
It found that there were 45 new cases recorded, with the three villages experiencing a combined infection rate nearly double the national average.
However, public health authority Staffordshire County Council has now explained the increase in the villages, which are defined as one neighbourhood on the Government’s seven-day rolling Covid data map.
Dr Richard Harling, the council’s director for health and care, said an outbreak at HMP Dovegate, in Marchington, accounted for the rise.
He said: “This particular area has seen a rise in cases due to an outbreak at Dovegate prison, where around 24 prisoners have tested positive.
“This outbreak appears to be stabilising.
“Cases look to be stabilising across Staffordshire, but it is still important for us to not let our guard down.
“We all must do everything we can to stop the spread of the virus, and this means continuing to follow the national restrictions.”
The latest figures at the time of publication – for the seven days to November 10 – show 47 new cases in Marchington, Yoxall and Abbots Bromley.
That is a rise of 29 on the previous seven-day total, amounting to a 161.1 per cent increase and a rolling infection rate of 583.8.
Liz Morgan, chair of Marchington Village Shop, in Church Lane, said: “I was really surprised when I saw the figures.
“As far as we know, there wasn’t a huge number of cases and we weren’t aware of anything significant in the village.
“In terms of the shop, we’re still doing what we can to keep people safe and are only allowing two customers at a time.
“We have a perspex screen installed to act as a shield between customer and cashier.”
A spokesman for Abbots Bromley Surgery posted a message on social media on Friday saying they had seen a “significant increase” in infections in and around the village.
Speaking yesterday, a spokesman for the surgery said: “We want people in Abbots Bromley and surrounding villages to be aware the virus is still around and following government guidelines and adhering to social distancing is a must.
“We don’t want people to get complacent and feel they are immune from what’s happening in Burton and Staffordshire as a whole.”
Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, which includes Abbots Bromley and Yoxall, said: “The second lockdown only started 11 days ago.
“Unfortunately, managing Covid-19 is like steering an oil tanker.
“If you put on the brakes, it takes ages before there’s any change of speed.
“It will take two-to-three weeks before we see any significant results, provided people are sticking to the rules, and knowing the areas of Abbots Bromley and Yoxall, I know that will happen.”
Serco, which runs HMP Dovegate, has been approached for comment.