There are signs that a recent sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in Herefordshire may be subsiding, with a slight fall in the infection rate of 10-14 year-olds being recorded.
For the seven day period ending 28th September, the COVID-19 infection rate in 10-14 year-olds in Herefordshire was 4,080 cases per 100,000 population. This is down on the seven day period ending 27th September, when the infection rate for the same age group was 4,496 cases per 100,000 population. This indicates a fall, which over the coming days is expected to continue, with fewer cases being recorded in Herefordshire in recent days in comparison to the previous week.
Overall, Herefordshire’s COVID-19 infection rate remains high, with an infection rate of 641 cases per 100,000 population in the seven day period ending 28th September.
The latest update from NHS England does make for positive reading for Hereford County Hospital (Wye Valley NHS Trust). It shows that on 28th September, 13 patients had COVID-19 at hospital in Herefordshire, that is down from 17 patients on the 21st September, certainly good news considering the high case numbers locally.
Over 1,200 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Herefordshire over the past seven days, but with the majority of cases being in those aged under 30 years-old, this means that the pressure on hospitals remains much lower than during the previous peak of the pandemic back in January when more than 120 patients had COVID-19 at hospital in Herefordshire. Another positive is that with well over 80% of the population aged 16 and over now having received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s hoped that the numbers ending up in hospital will remain low.
Out of the 13 patients currently with COVID-19 at hospital in Herefordshire, four of these are receiving mechanical ventilation.
