COVID-19: Infections down, but 19 deaths in district in a week

21/01/2021

Lockdown rules still need to be followed warns health chief: “we can’t afford to be complacent”

COVID-19 figures up until last Friday show a fall in the number of new infections as the effects of lockdown start to make a difference.   Last week 517 people tested positive for the virus in the Banbury FM area.   That’s down from the local pandemic high of 995 cases two weeks ago.

However, we are being encouraged to keep up our lockdown disciplines despite the fall in infection numbers which are still at much higher levels than before Christmas.   We’re also being reminded that hospitalisations and deaths still on the rise.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “We’d like to reassure people that what they have been doing in abiding by lockdown rules is starting to have an effect. But we are at the start of this task, not the end and we can’t afford to be complacent. The significant rise in hospitalisations clearly demonstrates the gravity of the situation, and the pressure on our healthcare system remains intense.”

In the 14 areas Banbury FM reports on there were reductions across the board in the number of new cases.   Infection rates have fallen to slightly above those recorded on Christmas Day – that was December’s high point ahead of a spike in cases in the New Year.

Oxfordshire County Council say that up to last Friday there were 532.2 infections per 100,000 people in the Cherwell District.   That’s down from over 900 per 100,000 people which was amongst the highest in the country.

19 people from the Cherwell District have died in the past seven days having previously tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 28 days.   This is the highest mortality rate in a seven day period since the start of the pandemic.

Hospital admissions and recorded deaths lag behind new infection rates.   The pressure on the NHS look set to continue to rise over the next couple of weeks.   Locally the NHS in Oxfordshire is currently caring for twice the number of COVID-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave in spring 2020.

Ansaf Azhar said: “We thank people for sticking to the rules since lockdown was reintroduced, but we need to continue in this vein over the weeks ahead – to give the vaccination programme the very best foundation to do its job. If people stop following the rules and forget about those simple steps of keeping your distance, washing your hands and wearing a face mask, we will undoubtedly see rises again.

“Almost twelve months of dealing with COVID-19 tells us one thing very clearly, this virus relies on human contact to spread. The second we relax, COVID-19 comes back with a bang.

“Not giving the virus the opportunity to spread remains the best thing individuals, families and work colleagues can do to allow the vaccine the best chance to fight COVID-19. Please continue to do your bit so that collectively we can stop the spread.

“I would also remind people to get tested if they are showing symptoms and make sure you self-isolate if that test comes back as a positive. Testing is another weapon in our armoury against this formidable opponent.”


Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam

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