Number of people with Covid in Harborough district drops by almost a third

Some 457.4 people per 100,000 tested positive for the coronavirus across the district from Sunday October 10 to Saturday October 16
The number of people with Covid-19 in Harborough has plunged by almost a third in the last three weeksThe number of people with Covid-19 in Harborough has plunged by almost a third in the last three weeks
The number of people with Covid-19 in Harborough has plunged by almost a third in the last three weeks

The number of people with Covid-19 in Harborough has plunged by almost a third in the last three weeks, it has emerged this afternoon (Friday, October 22).

Some 457.4 people per 100,000 tested positive for the coronavirus across the district from Sunday October 10 to Saturday October 16.

That’s a huge fall after Harborough’s infection rate rocketed to an all-time high of 664.7 from Sunday September 19 to Saturday September 25 – making it the fifth-highest in England.

Mike Sandys, the Director of Public Health for LeicestershireMike Sandys, the Director of Public Health for Leicestershire
Mike Sandys, the Director of Public Health for Leicestershire

Today Mike Sandys, the Director of Public Health for Leicestershire, told the Harborough Mail: “It is clearly very positive that we’ve seen such a big fall in the number of Covid cases in Harborough.

“We have been heading in the right direction over the last few weeks since hitting that local record rate of 664 cases per 100,000 people last month.

“And we’ve been three weeks ahead of the rest of the country after pupils went back to school here so much earlier to start the new academic year,” said Mike.

“Children and young people are still being disproportionately affected by the coronavirus in Harborough.

“I’d say that 40-45 per cent of all cases here are currently hitting the under-20s – with 11-16-year-olds especially in the frontline.

“So younger people are still the biggest issue we’ve got.

“But we can certainly take some real comfort from the fact that the rate in Harborough has fallen to 457 after the numbers sky-rocketed last month.

“It’s probably going to bubble along at about the 450 rate for some time now.

“But it will be intriguing to get the next set of figures in as youngsters have been away from school for half-term this week,” said the county’s public health chief.

“The infection rate for Leicestershire at the moment is 440 per 100,000 and it’s 507 for the East Midlands.

“And it’s 455.7 for the whole of England – although that number’s shot up by 20 per cent in the last week alone.

“We may be not over the worst, the pandemic is still very much with us.

“I don’t want to lull people in Harborough into a false sense of security.

“But the people of Harborough on the whole have always tried to do the right thing.

“We’ve had spikes in the infection rates in the district over the last 18 months or so, it’s gone up and down,” said Mike.

“But we’ve never had a prolonged or sustained surge in Harborough – it’s never become a long-term issue.

“That’s because local people have been trying to do the right thing and behave properly.

“Now I’m appealing to people in Harborough and beyond to continue to be sensible and responsible because we are all facing a sticky winter.

“It’s absolutely critical that you go and get your booster jab as soon as you can.

“The vaccination uptake figures are very good in Harborough so I’m sure people will get their vital top-up dose as a matter of priority.

“Please wear a mask when you go into indoor spaces such as shops and businesses,” insisted Mike.

“I know it’s not mandatory – and the Government’s messaging has been a bit boom and bust.

“But let’s all do our best to head off any new crisis at the pass rather than waiting for it to come down the line before we react.

“Continue to keep your distance, wash your hands regularly, work from home if you can, keep your homes and workplaces well ventilated and see your friends and families outdoors if you can.

“This winter is going to be tough for the NHS, there’s no doubt about that.

“The health service will have flu infections to deal with as well as ongoing coronavirus cases and other threats such as a common respiratory virus known as RSV.

“So we all have to do all we can to make sure that the NHS will be able to cope – and won’t get overwhelmed.

“We currently have about 100 people in Leicester’s three main hospitals with Covid.

“So although cases are rising again nationally we do still have far fewer people going into hospital and fewer deaths than we did at the peak of the crisis last winter.

“We won’t be going back to the days of the lockdowns at the height of the pandemic, I’m sure of that,” said Mike.

“Many people are suffering Covid fatigue to some extent, we’re all fed up with it after having to put up with it for over 18 months.

“But I can only reiterate and repeat that if we all do get the booster jab and live our lives responsibly we will continue to go the right way and get past this.”