Covid-19 cases leap as testing results come in
THE number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in West Lancashire jumped by almost 50% last week as new data was released.
Public Health England finally released the so-called Pillar 2 data which includes those who have been tested at drive-through centres and people using home testing kits that have been sent in the post.
Previously, figures only included “Pillar 1” data from hospital and health care testing.
As a result, the reported number jumped from 394 to 709, an increase of 315 positive tests.
The data was released a day before a significant easing of lockdown restrictions which allowed businesses such as pubs, hotels and hair salons to open for the first time since March.
But the changes came with a warning from chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty, who said the coronavirus pandemic “is a long way from gone” as he urged the public to continue following social-distancing rules.
Prof Whitty said: “None of us believe, and I’m sure nobody watching this believes, this is a risk-free next step.
“It is absolutely not, that is why we have to be really serious about it.
“There’s no doubt these are environments whose principal job it is to bring people together, that’s a great thing to do socially but it’s also a great thing from the virus’s point of view.
“And therefore we do have to have a really clear and really disciplined approach to try and maintain social distancing while also enjoying pubs.”