Part of town is a Covid hotspot
THE COVID HOTSPOTSHOTSPOT IN CITY AND COUNTY
PART of Loughborough has seen more than 300 new coronavirus cases in just two weeks, latest data shows.
The Loughborough University medium super output area – a council-defined area with an average population of 7,000 – had 316 cases diagnosed in the fortnight to October 24.
The area includes not just the campus but also neighbourhoods off Alan Moss Road, Ashby Road and north of Forest Road.
The borough dominates the latest list of the 10 Leicestershire areas with the most cases in the 14-day monitoring period.
There were 1,371 cases confirmed across the borough between October 11 and 24 – more than double the totals seen anywhere else in the county.
It was announced last week that Charnwood would be subject to stricter Tier 2 restrictions from one minute past midnight on Saturday - before the full national lockdown starts this Thursday.
Leicestershire County Council’s director of public health, Mike Sandys, urged people to “do the right thing” in light of the area’s level change.
He said: “It’s clear that the figures are still rising in Charnwood so this is a sensible move. Cases are very high in the 17 to 21 age range, while rates among over-60s have trebled since the end of September and this is driving the figures.
“What’s most important is what we do now. To stop coronavirus spreading to older, more vulnerable people, we need everyone to do the right thing.
“By not mixing with people you don’t live with, isolating when you need to and avoiding crowded areas, you’re playing your part.
“This really is the simplest action you can take to save lives and livelihoods.”