Coronavirus infection rates slowing down

ALL AREAS: The number of people testing positive for coronavirus in the Royal Borough has fallen following a sharp rise in December.

A total of 790 positive tests were reported from Monday, January 4 to Sunday, January 10.

This was down from the 1,077 cases recorded in the previous week (Monday, December 28 to Sunday, January 3).

When the Express went to press the weekly rate of confirmed cases per 100,000 people in the borough stood at 644.6.

Slough has continued to record some of the highest rates of coronavirus infections in the country.

A total of 1,612 positive tests were reported from Monday, January 4 to Sunday, January 10, down from 1,632 reported cases of the virus over the previous seven days.

Hospitals in the region remain under pressure, with the number of COVID19 patients occupying beds at the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust continuing to rise.

Figures from NHS England show 542 people with the virus were being treated across the trust’s three hospitals – Wexham Park, Frimley Park and Heatherwood – as of January 5.

This marks an almost 20 per cent rise from the 453 COVID-19 patients occupying beds as of December 29.

The latest data shows 482 of the trust’s general and acute beds are occupied by people with the virus. These beds make up the core of a hospital’s bed-base and do not include those in intensive care.

Occupancy of mechanical ventilation beds at the trust has also increased, with 38 beds being used as of January 5 compared to 27 on December 29.