Cases on rise among town’s white population

THE number of coronavirus cases among Rochdale’s white population is now outstripping those in the BAME community, council leader Allen Brett has said.

The latest Public Health England (PHE) figures show the borough had the fourth highest infection rate in Greater Manchester for the week ending September 2.

With cases rising to 49.5 per 100,000 people, it is in danger of entering the ‘red alert’ zone (50 cases per 100,000) which can trigger extra restrictions such as those imposed in Oldham.

Coun Brett has said that - for the first time - the data shows more white people in Rochdale are testing positive than those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

While long-standing hotspots remain in predominantly BAME areas, such as central Rochdale and Wardleworth - which recorded 10 and 11 cases respectively - Middleton East also saw 11 cases during the seven day period.

New cases were also picked up in Heywood Town (four), Heywood Heap Bridge and Darnhill (five), as well elsewhere across the borough.

Coun Brett believes this is due to increased testing being done across the borough, whereas original efforts were focused on central areas ‘where the BAME population is concentrated’.

A new walk-through centre opened at Heywood Civic Centre in late August, while another has been operating in Middleton since mid-July.

The first coronavirus testing station opened behind Rochdale Town Hall, in early June, where it continues to operate from.

Coun Brett - who describes Rochdale’s trend as ‘plateauing’ around its current level - says testing data has revealed a problem with the under-40s.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham this week called for a ‘major reallocation of resources’ to councils to improve local testing and tracing.

But Coun Brett - who has strongly criticised the government previously - says he is relatively satisfied with the support Rochdale is now receiving. Rochdale council also made an agreement with NHS England in August, so that patient identifiable data from testing would be made available to it within 48 hours - rather than 96 hours as was previously the case.

Coun Brett said the authority’s success rate for tracing positive cases was around 90pc and was ‘working well’.