Figures reveal Covid cases in most of county ‘significantly higher’ than England average
‘GRAVE CONCERN’ OVER GROWING RATE OF INFECTION IN OVER-60S
CORONAVIRUS cases in Nottinghamshire are now “significantly higher” than the England average in all but two areas.
Rushcliffe has recorded the most cases in total since the pandemic began, according to Nottinghamshire County Council’s latest weekly surveillance report.
In the week ending November 1, the borough had recorded 2,551 cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic in February.
However, daily figures released on the Public Health England dashboard show this number has increased to 2,725 over the past week.
It is understood from the surveillance report data that the national average is around 1,700 cumulative cases per 100,000 in total since February, with Rushcliffe’s total rate per 100,000 around 2,250 in the week ending November 1.
City Covid cases are not included in the figures.
Gedling and Broxtowe’s cumulative rate of cases are slightly lower than those of Rushcliffe, standing at around 2,100 per 100,000 people in total since the pandemic began.
The cumulative rate is calculated on population sizes for each borough or district.
Daily data accurate to November 8 shows Gedling now has a total of 2,718 cases, while Broxtowe’s total now stands at 2,599.
Ashfield and Bassetlaw also have cumulative rates both hitting around the 1,800 mark.
At the time of publication, the surveillance report showed Ashfield had recorded 2,251 cases and Bassetlaw 2,095 cases since the start of the pandemic.
These numbers have risen to 2,527 and 2,519 respectively, according to daily data from the Public Health England dashboard.
Mansfield and Newark and Sherwood are the only parts of the county not “significantly higher” than the England average.
The data shows that Mansfield’s total cumulative case rate was “similar” to the national average in the week ending November 1.
The district’s rate stood at around the 1,700 mark after 1,750 cases were recorded between February and the start of November.
This number has since risen to 2,049 in the seven days following the end of the surveillance report.
But in Newark and Sherwood, the cumulative rate of around 1,600 is classed as “significantly lower” than the England average.
This comes despite the total number of cases since February being recorded as 1,857 at the time of publication - mainly because it has a larger population than Mansfield.
The total number of cases in Newark and Sherwood has since risen to 2,089, according to the Public Health England dashboard.
It is unclear whether changes since the surveillance report was published mean the districts now have total case numbers higher than average for the rest of the country.
Jonathan Gribbin, director of public health for Nottinghamshire, says the number of new cases in the county are “levelling off” but that they are rising among the over-60s.
It comes as the county’s reproduction (the R number) rate was revealed as between 1 and 1.1.
“While there is a glimmer of encouragement seeing rates level off somewhat across Nottinghamshire, the rate is still high and in some districts, still going up,” Mr Gribbin said.
“This is of grave concern particularly as we look at the rate of cases in the over-60s increasing. This is what fuels pressure in care and hospital settings.”