Covid-19 joint statement from Ross-on-Wye Town Council and S&W Herefordshire NHS Primary Care Network

Written by admin

18 May 2020

The latest Coronavirus (Covid-19) testing figures from Public Health England are showing an increase in positive tests in Herefordshire. The rate at which new cases are being identified is much higher here than in other parts of the country.  This suggests that the epidemic here has not yet reached a peak.   

The map above (from the Guardian, summarising testing numbers) describes 41.6 positive tests over the last 10 days, per 100,000 people. For our county of around 192,000 people, this represents an average of 8 people a day testing positive at present. Without access to testing for everyone, this is likely to significantly under-represent new cases of Covid-19. 

Locally health services are aware of clusters of Covid-19 in Ross-on-Wye as well as other places in the county. We feel it is important that our community is aware that there are a growing number of cases in Ross, and the rate of infection in Herefordshire seems to be increasing. Being informed allows us to continue to take great care to protect ourselves and people around us. We strongly encourage people to reduce their own and others’ potential exposure to the virus wherever possible.

www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Daniel Lister
Mayor of Ross-on-Wye
on behalf of Ross-on-Wye Town Council

Dr Simon Lennane
GP and Clinical Director, South & West Herefordshire NHS PCN

Coronavirus survey:

The Ross-on-Wye Coronavirus survey also gives local health professionals information about the level of possible symptoms in our community. The more replies we get, the more valuable it becomes, especially if people regularly complete it with or without symptoms.  The survey can be accessed from www.rosscdt.org.uk. The responses are available for all to see. A survey such as this cannot pick up all cases, but it remains important to look out for a local spike in symptoms. We would ask all local residents to complete it twice a week for themselves, and to encourage others to do so.

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1 Comment

  1. Helen Palmer

    Hi
    Thank you for this information. Is anyone considering this increase may have something to do with the number of seasonal workers in the county. I was in Morrison’s on my weekly shopping trip a fortnight ago and there were many young workers doing their shopping. None of them were socially distancing and seemed unaware of other people’s need to be distanced from them.
    I value their input into our community and love to see them here but maybe their needs to be some resources directed their way.
    Thank you for what you are doing.

    Reply

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