County cases of Covid-19 appear to be falling

CASE numbers have increased slightly nationally, and particularly in some parts of the country, but the most recent government figures for Leicester and Leicestershire show Covid-19 deaths and case numbers appear to be falling.

In the week ending July 24, seven people died Covid-19-related deaths across Leicester and Leicestershire, according to figures released on Tuesday (August 4) by the Office for National Statistics. That was down from nine the week before.

The numbers for the week ending July 24 include four deaths in hospitals, a fall from six a week before, and three deaths in care homes, up from two.

The figures are based on the number of deaths registered up to August 1, where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.

Overall, there have been 842 deaths across our area involving Covid-19 between the start of the outbreak and July 24.

Of those deaths, most (540) took place in hospital, with 238 in care homes.

There were also 34 deaths recorded at home, 13 in hospices, 14 in other communal establishments, and three elsewhere.

Other communal establishments include prisons, halls of residence, hotels, and sheltered accommodation, while elsewhere covers deaths outside and people declared dead on arrival at hospital.

Figures from Public Health England (PHE) suggest around 249 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Leicester and Leicestershire in the week ending July 26.

The figures are calculated from infection rates in the local area based on Pillar one (hospital and care settings and Pillar two (drive-through test centres and swabs sent by post) testing.

The 249 positive tests in the week ending July 26 compares to 329 the week before and 474 in the week before that.

The infection rate per 100,000 people was 53.2 in Leicester in the week ending July 26, 70.1 the week before, and 110.6 the week before that.

Over the past three weeks, the infection rate was recorded as 8.6 per 100,000 in Leicestershire in the most recent week, 11.5 the week ending July 19, and 11.6 the week before that.

Government figures also give a more detailed picture of what is happening with Covid-19 cases and deaths in care homes.

Separate figures from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), show one death involving coronavirus in care homes in Leicester and Leicestershire in the week ending July 31.

That was up from none the week before.