Change to way figures are recorded
A MAJOR change in the way coronavirus figures are calculated has kicked in as the latest positive test numbers are revealed.
Data from testing previously was recorded based on the patient’s lastknown address on the NHS database.
That did not take into account recent house moves yet to be registered with patients’ GPS – including, crucially, university students who had moved out of their family homes without informing their surgery.
Now, the figures have been calculated and recorded based on the address given by patients at the point of testing.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said: “We have updated the way we record the location of people who test positive for coronavirus to prioritise addresses given at point of testing, rather than details registered on the NHS database.
“This better reflects the distribution of positive cases in recent weeks and months, particularly among younger people of university age who may not have yet registered with a GP at their term-time address.
“This has not affected any decision about local and national restrictions, which take into account a wider range of evidence.”
In the daily figures for the 24 hours up to 7pm on Tuesday, a total of 2,880 people in East Staffordshire have had confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic – a rise of 67 The infection rate since the start of the pandemic now stands at 2,404.9 per 100,000 people in the borough. The population is around 118,000.
There have been two more deaths announced, so the total stands 161, at a rate of 134.4 in every 100,000 residents.
In South Derbyshire, there have been 52 new cases, with the total since the start of the pandemic now standing at 2,532 at an infection rate of 2,360.6.
The total in the previous 24 hours was 12. There were three deaths, with the total number at 99 - a death rate of 92.3.
There have been 1,873 cases in North West Leicestershire - 34 of which were recorded in the last 24 hours - meaning the infection rate is 1,807.7 The death rate is 67.6, with 70 people having died within 28 days of testing positive.