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On the edge of a move to high alert in face of latest virus figures
23/10/2020
Call for a move to high alert level as figures reveal 169 COVID-19 cases in the north of the Cherwell District in the last 4 weeks
The latest COVID-19 data for our area shows 58 confirmed cases in the north of the Cherwell District in the last seven days. There were 66 confirmed cases in the previous week and 42 two weeks ago.
At the southern end of the Cherwell District (Bicester, Kidlington and the surrounding villages) there were 58 cases this week. Until recently there had been more cases in the south of the Cherwell District than in the north.
In the last four weeks no part of our area has escaped confirmed cases. During this period there were 169 cases in the north of the Cherwell District. The most positive tests have been in the Grimsbury area which has had 29 during the four-week period. In Bodicote, Adderbury & Bloxham there have been 23 cases.
The figures for the last four weeks contrast greatly with figures from the preceding four weeks which saw just 4 cases in the whole of the north of the Cherwell District.
The news comes as we learn that discussions have taken place with central Government about whether all areas of Oxfordshire should move to the ‘high’ alert level. It is understood this will not happen at the moment, although Oxfordshire’s Director of Public Health and Council Leaders are pushing for the move to happen as soon as possible.
In the meantime Oxfordshire County Council is urging people to be extra vigilant, particularly over half-term, as cases of coronavirus continue to spread across the county.
The Council says it has evidence that in the past two weeks the virus has spread to a much wider age range across the county. They say it is no longer confined to younger people in urban areas and hospital admissions have begun to increase as a result.
Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health Ansaf Azhar said: “Across all areas of the county, we are starting to see a significant shift in the spread of the virus beyond people in their teens and 20s to older and more vulnerable age groups. This is a really concerning development. We know that, once the virus starts to spread to more vulnerable groups, then hospital cases will rise and deaths will inevitably follow.
“We have seen what’s been happening across the north of England and how the virus has quickly taken hold across huge swathes of the community. Based on the current trajectory of the virus, we could well find ourselves in a similar position in just a few weeks’ time if we do not take collective action now.”
“With half-term approaching, as well as events such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali coming up, it’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of meeting up and celebrating with friends and family. But we mustn’t forget about COVID. We need to do everything we can to keep our families and communities safe and stop the spread.
“I know the temptation will be to meet up and socialise over half-term. However, the virus thrives when people are in close contact with one another. So I would strongly urge everyone to limit their social interactions and focus instead on the many COVID-secure family activities that are taking place over half-term.”
For the very latest facts and figures relating to the virus please see our COVID-19 Dashboard.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam