Councillor calls latest Covid-19 figures an ‘NHS cock up’

THE LATEST coronavirus testing data has been skewed by a data dump.

Last week, we reported that there were 131 positive cases in the Wokingham borough since Friday, June 12.

National media suggested Wokingham has the second highest rise in cases, using a percentage increase calculation.

This data was taken from Public Health England and has now been revealed as wrong by Wokingham Borough Council.

Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services at the council, told Wokingham. Today: “In the last two weeks, there have only been six positive tests for coronavirus in the borough.

“This is broken down into Pillar One testing, run by the NHS and Public Health England at hospitals and medical facilities, and Pillar Two, commercial testing run by Deloitte.

“In the last two weeks there have been no positive tests from Pillar One, and only six positive tests for Pillar Two.

“There have also been no positive tests or deaths in care homes across the borough during the last two weeks.”

Cllr Margetts said he is annoyed that the local data has been twisted.

He added: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 458 positive tests for coronavirus in the borough through Pillar One testing.

“And there have been 126 positive tests for coronavirus in the borough through Pillar Two testing.”

This means that 578 of the positive cases for coronavirus in the borough were recorded earlier than two weeks ago.

Wokingham. Today understands that the data — recorded since the beginning of the pandemic — was reported to Public Health England by Deloitte, and somewhere along

the line, it was not uploaded in a timely manner.

This means the data has been twisted by uploading all of the information in one go.

Cllr Margetts added: “This is a Public Health England and NHS cock up.

“I am very annoyed and deeply disappointed that Public Health England has not provided this information sooner.

“I’m calling on them for accurate and reliable information.

“It is unreasonable for councils to take on the responsibility for track and trace if they are not given the correct and accurate information about what tests are being done, and when.

“We held a council meeting with the MPs across the borough, asking them to call on the Government for accurate data as early as possible.”