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A thread: coronavirus in Herefordshire
Every week, the Hereford Times runs an article about the infection rate in the county. We say how it's changed over recent weeks, and how it compares to nearby areas.
This week's figures show the rate has doubled in a fortnight.
(Proof
)
Every week, the Hereford Times runs an article about the infection rate in the county. We say how it's changed over recent weeks, and how it compares to nearby areas.
This week's figures show the rate has doubled in a fortnight.
(Proof
)
While that might not sound significant, it is likely to be.
Herefordshire's acting director of public health told me on Tuesday that she expects the rise to continue further. That's because she feels we haven't seen the effect of people mixing over the Christmas period.
Herefordshire's acting director of public health told me on Tuesday that she expects the rise to continue further. That's because she feels we haven't seen the effect of people mixing over the Christmas period.
Before I go any further, I will just briefly explain the infection rate. In essence, it's the number of cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.
There will be people who say the rising infection rate is as a result of more testing. Partly, yes, but only if you're comparing the current infection rate to figures from March 2020 when there weren't tests for everyone.
But now anyone with symptoms should be able to get a test
But now anyone with symptoms should be able to get a test
The UK Government coronavirus data websites shows that in any seven-day period in December, more than 5,000 tests were carried out.
On some days it was as high as 7,000, but it changed over the month.
On some days it was as high as 7,000, but it changed over the month.
So more tests aren't really being carried out, those who need them can get them.
The significant thing is the number of those tests coming back positive.
The significant thing is the number of those tests coming back positive.
The number of tests returning a positive result rose from 2.1 per cent on December 10 to 10.2 per cent on January 2 (the most recent day the figures cover).
For transparency, those figures are from PCR tests (those that are processed by a laboratory)
For transparency, those figures are from PCR tests (those that are processed by a laboratory)
In the seven days to December 10, 5,189 tests were carried out. This did rise to 6,615 in the week to January 2, but the most significant thing for public health bosses will be how the positivity rate effectively quadrupled.
(Here's the graph)
(Here's the graph)
Figures are long and complex and there is often the opinion they can be manipulated to show what you want, but this is stripped back and it shows what it shows.
Here's the article https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/18995651.herefordshire-coronavirus-rate-doubles-two-weeks/
Here's the article https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/18995651.herefordshire-coronavirus-rate-doubles-two-weeks/
But to sum up, the infection rate is higher than ever and just over 10 per cent of tests in the last seven days have been positive.
Some 45 people with coronavirus have been admitted to hospital in Herefordshire in the last week, and the death toll is going up.
Some 45 people with coronavirus have been admitted to hospital in Herefordshire in the last week, and the death toll is going up.
We try our best to explain the figures to you, and bring you the latest coronavirus news.
In fact, we even have a dedicated section on our website. Check it out.
https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/coronavirus/
In fact, we even have a dedicated section on our website. Check it out.
https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/coronavirus/
