Warnings as infections flare up in county town
RESIDENTS URGED TO STAY VIGILANT AS RATES STILL CONCERNING
A WARNING has been issued to people living in a Leicestershire town that has been identified as a Covid-19 hotspot.
Public health officials say the infection rate in Ashby is concerning them and playing a part in North West Leicestershire’s high case numbers.
Last week, the district had the unenviable tag of having the highest infection rate in the country, with 197.9 cases per 100,000 of the population, according to figures for the seven days up to February 28.
The latest figure for North West Leicestershire has the district now in sixth place, with 141.9 cases per 100,000, which is still well above the county rate of 102.4 cases per 100,000.
Despite the drop in its national ranking, county council public health director Mike Sandys said he was still concerned.
He said: “North West Leicestershire isn’t making the headlines of last week, but it’s still well up on the list of places with the worst infection rates.”
He said Ashby had not previously featured in “Covid hotspot” data but was a new area of concern, as well as the villages of Donisthorpe and
Blackfordby. Ashby is definitely starting to creep up the rankings and some of that is simply down to where it is on the map,” added Mr Sandys. “It borders areas which have high rates, including Coalville and South Derbyshire.” County council leader Nick Rushton,
who lives in the town, said: “It’s disappointing to see the rates rising in Ashby, so I’m asking people to be careful when they go out for essential reasons, particularly at the big supermarkets, in small shops, at the school gates and while commuting to work.
“People are relaxing their guard and it’s easy to think it’s all over – but it clearly isn’t, and we can’t afford to undo all the good work through complacency, so I’d urge all North
West Leicestershire’s residents to continue being vigilant, and remember it’s hands, face, space.”
Councillor Richard Blunt, leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, said: “The vaccine rollout and the government’s roadmap to normality make it very tempting to drop our guard, but with our figures still high this is not a time for complacency.
“Please continue to be vigilant and avoid all non-essential journeys.”