Huge leap in cases but there’s no spike
CHANGE IN WAY DATA IS RECORDED BEHIND THE ’RISE’
THE true scale of coronavirus cases recorded in Nottingham since the start of the pandemic has now been revealed after official data was updated to include almost 2,000 more cases.
Public Health England said the city’s total number of cases was 13,696 as of Sunday- but the figure then jumped to 15,644 at 6pm on Monday.
The massive increase of 1,968 does not, however, represent a surge in cases during that 24-hour period – the additional positive tests have been recorded since September but have only recently been updated by Public Health England due to a change in the way it records the location of people’s positive tests.
This means the true extent of the outbreak during the peak of Nottingham’s second wave is only just becoming clear. For example, on October 7 previous official data stated there had been 520 cases recorded in the last 24 hours when in fact there had been 720.
The changes mean a person’s current address is used to in official Government data, instead of details registered on a patient’s NHS Summary Care Record.
Public Health England says the change has been made as using the current address “can be a better indicator of geographic location for mobile populations such as students”.
Nottingham City Council has emphasised the change doesn’t mean a recent spike in cases and says the city’s infection rate has been on a downward curve since tighter restrictions were imposed.
A spokesperson said: “The data here is historical and doesn’t represent a new spike in cases. Thanks to everyone’s continued hard work and following tighter national restrictions, Nottingham’s infection rates have been on a sustained downward curve for a few weeks and we expect soon to be below the national average.
“This is no time to be complacent, however. Anyone who gets Covid symptoms must isolate and take a test. And people need to keep following the guidance to stay safe and protect lives.
“Key to this is making sure they stay two metres apart, wear masks where applicable and wash hands regularly. Hands, face, space. It could not be any clearer.”
Indeed, Nottingham’s infection rate has dropped week on week according to latest statistics.
The city’s infection rate is 269.5 and 897 people have tested positive in the seven days leading up to November 12. This has fallen from a rate of 353 the week before.
Every area’s infection rate has dropped compared to the week before.
Meanwhile the latest figures mean Rushcliffe and Gedling has had case numbers reduced – Gedling’s now stands at 3,027, 27 cases fewer than the day before, while Rushcliffe has seen cases decrease by 39 to 2,952.
A Public Health England spokesperson said: “From November 16, PHE has updated the way it records the location of people who test positive or negative for Covid-19. “It now prioritises addresses given at the point of testing over the details registered on a patient’s NHS Summary Care Record. “This better reflects the distribution of cases and testing. However, it may give rise to differences in previously reported numbers of cases and rates in some areas.
The data here is historical and doesn’t represent a new spike in cases
Nottingham City Council
■Total number of cases across Nottinghamshire (and increase/decrease from number recorded on Sunday)
Ashfield – 2,976 (increase of 55) Bassetlaw – 3,006 (no change) Broxtowe – 2,984 (increase of 85) Gedling – 3,027 (decrease of 27) Mansfield – 2,467 (increase of 33) Newark and Sherwood – 2,433 (increase of 14) Nottingham – 15,644 (increase of 1,968) Rushcliffe – 2,952 (decrease of 39)