‘THIS IS A CRUCIAL WEEK FOR THE CITY – PLEASE DON’T TAKE STUPID RISKS’
WARNING AFTER FOUR CORONAVIRUS DEATHS AND RISE IN CASES ACROSS STOKE-ON-TRENT
FAMILIES have been warned not to take ‘stupid risks’ around coronavirus as Stoke-on-trent faces up to a ‘crucial week’.
The alert comes after ‘significant’ increases in positive tests across the city in the last seven days which has seen the infection rate rise to 41 cases per 100,000.
It comes after four patients died with coronavirus at the Royal Stoke University Hospital over a 48-hour period.
Bosses at Stoke-on-trent City Council say those fatalities – the first since July – are a ‘stark reminder’ of the consequences of the virus.
The latest figures for cases across The Sentinel’s circulation area last night revealed that another 136 people had tested positive.
Thirty two new cases were reported in Stoke-on-trent, bringing the total in the city since the beginning of the pandemic up to 2,138. There were 104 new cases confirmed across the Staffordshire County Council area, bringing the total across the county outside Stoke-on-trent to 5,364.
Both Newcastle and Stafford Borough saw 23 new cases each, while eight were reported in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Across the border in Cheshire East, there were 79 new cases confirmed in the latest update – bringing the total up to 3,094.
In the wake of the latest figures, Jon Rouse, left, city director at Stoke-on-trent City Council, took to social media to say: “Stoke-on-trent has shown fantastic discipline to hold Covid infection rates down over last two months.
“But now at 41/100,000 and a significant increase over the last seven days, there is a crucial week ahead for the city. Hands; face; space and no stupid risks.”
And Paul Edmondson-jones, director of public health at the city council, added: “This is a stark reminder of the consequences of the virus. However, do please remember normal NHS services continue safely – use them if you need them – stay safe.”
Bosses running RSUH are also urging patients to continue to attend their appointments in the wake of the four coronavirus deaths.
It takes the total number of UHNM deaths to 359 since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. There had not been any Covid-related deaths at the trust since July until this week.
Chief operating officer Paul Bytheway said: “We have now started to gradually bring back some other elective services, including diagnostic tests, but only where that can be done safely and limits the transmission of coronavirus, respects social distancing and won’t place too big a demand on resources such as essential medications and personal protective equipment.
“Just like the rest of the NHS, our number one priority for the last few months has been ensuring that all those who need urgent care – not just those with coronavirus – have been able to get it when they need it.
“We would like to assure our patients that we have established infection prevention measures in place to help limit the risk of spreading coronavirus and it is important that patients attend their appointments.
“In recent weeks we have seen a small increase in the number of patients requiring an admission due to Covid-19, but thankfully because our local population is adhering to the national guidance this is not increasing as quickly as it had been.
“All patients with Covid-19 are cared for on a dedicated Covid-19 ward or in side rooms. This means that those patients who have an infection are cared for separately to other patients.”