Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Covid-19 R-rate in South West rises to 1
Region has the highest rate of transmission of virus in country:
CORONAVIRUS is spreading at a higher rate in the South West than anywhere else in the country, the health secretary admitted in yesterday’s Downing Street press conference.
Matt Hancock said there was a “challenge” in the South West and the North West regarding the R-rate.
His remarks came after data from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Cambridge, in partnership with Public Health England, found that the R-rate in the South West has risen to 1.01 for the past week and yesterday was precisely 1.00.
It means that the virus is spreading in the South West at a higher rate than the Government’s tests for easing the lockdown, so the number of people dying from the virus could begin to go back up again
The South West region and the North West, where it is also estimated to be 1.01, are the only places in the country where the predicted rate of infection is at 1 or higher.
The experts crunching the number of cases and the infection rates said the South West had the greatest level of uncertainty over the figures, and the R infection rate in the South West could be as high as 1.29.
Mr Hancock said that the R value for the UK overall remains between 0.7 and 0.9, and between 0.7 and 1 in England.
He said the government would be taking a ‘ more local approach’ to tackling outbreaks throughout the country.
It comes amid concerns that the number of visitors to the region could result in a second wave of coronavirus infections.
But Mr Hancock said Sage believes the R is below one and said local lockdowns would be used when flare-ups are spotted, pointing towards a success in Weston-superMare.
The Health Secretary said: “You’re right that the R is closer to one in the South West and in the North West, the advice from Sage is that R is below one in all regions.
“However, we want to increasingly have an approach in tackling local lockdowns where we spot a flare-up.
“We’ve been doing this over the last few weeks, for instance there was a flare-up in Weston-super-Mare which we successfully got under control.”
He said there was a “challenge” in both the North West and the South West of England regarding the spread of the disease.
“What they [the figures] do confirm across the board is that there is a challenge in the North West of England to address and to a lesser degree in the South West of England where the issue is slightly different,” the Health Secretary told the No 10 briefing.
“In the South West the overall incidence of the disease is much lower but the R is a little bit higher than in the rest of the UK.”
The news that the South West R-Rate was so high was greeted with alarm by the region’s health experts.
Dr Lucy-Jane Davis, South West chairman of the British Medical Association, said: “It’s extremely concerning that this data suggests that the South West has one of the highest R-rates in the country. This highlights that the threat of infection is very much present here.
“As such, it is absolutely vital that people continue to exercise vigilance in terms of social distancing measures, proper hand hygiene and there is a strong argument for adopting the use of face masks in areas where social distancing is not possible.
“While of course it is extremely important to get the economy back up and running as soon as possible, this must be effectively balanced to ensure that the health and safety of the public remains a priority.
“It also highlights the pressing need for the Government to establish a wide scale, accurate and systematic approach to test and trace which can ensure that any spikes in infection are managed quickly and effectively.”
“It is also absolutely crucial that the NHS in the South West have all the resources they need should the R-rate continue to rise and that results in a subsequent spike in cases.”
A spokesman for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire CCG said: “We are urging everyone to adhere closely to the guidance on social distancing, as well as prioritising good hygiene practices and using caution when meeting up with potential contacts.
“This is particularly important in regions like the South West, where the R number appears to be higher than elsewhere. However, it is important to know that the incidence is lowest in the South West.”
Meanwhile, health and care organisations from across Somerset have joined together to remind people to follow Government social distancing rules to minimise the increase of positive cases of coronavirus across communities.
Louise Woolway, deputy director of Public Health said: “Although Somerset continues to have low overall numbers of positive coronavirus cases compared to other parts of the country, this [R value] is a stark reminder that the virus is still active in our local communities and has not gone away.”
Professor Debra Lapthorne, regional director of PHE South West, said: “The timing of the initial wave of infection was very different in each region, and consequently there will be some regional variation in R even now.
“Alongside the North West, and East of England, the South West had one of the lowest levels of activity prior to the lockdown, due to a delayed spread into these regions.
“It is encouraging to see that the South West continues to see comparatively lower numbers of cases and deaths from Covid-19. We need to ensure all our communities continue to follow government guidance on social distancing and self-isolation.
“As lockdown measures are eased across the country, it is vitally important we do everything we can to slow the spread of the virus and save lives.”