Covid infections stubbornly high
ASHBOURNE is currently the worst area for coronavirus infections in relation to population size in the Derbyshire Dales.
Despite a small drop in the number of cases across the district over the last week, the urban Ashbourne South ward has seen a handful of new cases, and its rolling rate is its highest yet – at 510.5.
Last week this rate, which measures the number of infections against the size of the ward’s population, was 456.8.
The number of new cases rose by four to 38, which puts the town well above the national average.
The news in surrounding areas is generally better, however, with most rural wards seeing reductions in cases.
In Ashbourne North, which encompasses Kniveton and Parwich, cases dropped to 20 in the last measured week, bringing the rolling rate down to 277.2.
Mayfield, Rocester and Bramshall was still relatively high with a rate of 351.2 and the Hatton and Burnaston Ward, which encompasses Foston, was also high, with a rolling rate of 565.5.
But the Doveridge,
Brailsford and Bradley Ward saw its rolling rate drop to 196.5 and the Wirksworth ward’s rate dropped below 100 to 98.1.
Looking at figures measured across the Dales, the rate per 100,000 population has fallen well, to 201.9 – with 146 new cases recorded. Last week we reported there were 167 new cases and the rolling rate had been 230.9.
Across the county, the number of Covid-19 cases is decreasing but in extremely gradual reductions and far slower than in earlier lockdowns.
In the last recorded sevenday period, Derbyshire saw 4,562 new cases, down from a peak of 5,161. This is a drop of 500 cases, or 11.6 per cent, in nearly two weeks.
During previous lockdowns, including that in November, Derbyshire was seeing case numbers fall by 50 per cent and in some districts 70 per cent after two weeks – the time it typically takes for lockdown to show its impact.
While the reduction in cases across the county is welcome news, the pace at which this is falling is extremely gradual and it would take months for numbers to get to a level deemed manageable.
Local officials want to see infections down in double figures per week, but Derbyshire is seeing thousands. It needs to get to a low level to have a chance at sustaining a quick and efficient track and trace system, officials have said.
There are 709 Covid-19 patients in beds at Royal Derby Hospital, Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Queen’s Hospital in Burton, as of Monday, January 25.
This is a further increase from last week’s figure and is more than double the number in hospital before Christmas – around 300.
In mid-october, this figure stood at 75 and last summer our hospitals were not treating a single patient with the virus.
Chesterfield Royal is treating the most Covid-19 patients it has seen, 196 – more than double those it saw at the peak of the first wave (75). This is almost half its in-patients, of whom there are a total of 479.
The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust – which oversees Royal Derby and Queen’s – is treating more than double the number in the first wave.
Royal Derby Hospital staff are now treating 371 Covid-19 patients, down from 388 this time last week. Its first wave high was around 160.
There are 18 Covid-19 patients in Royal Derby’s intensive care unit, below its peak of almost 30 in the first wave.
This lower number, despite much higher numbers of Covid inpatients, is said to be down to better treatment and understanding of the virus.
Queen’s Hospital staff are treating 142 Covid patients, up from 136 last week. Of these, 11 are in intensive care. Queen’s peaked at around 100 in the first wave.
Health officials made it clear last year that to have more than 10 patients in intensive care at the same time, with the same illness, is extremely rare.