Walsall has one of UK’s highest Covid rates
Walsall has one of the highest Covid-19 case rates in the country, latest statistics have revealed.
Councillor Stephen Craddock, Walsall Council’s portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said 20 per cent of tests were coming back positive and the borough was ranked 12th nationally.
He told a meeting of the social care and health overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday that people aged between 30 and 44 were being hit the most currently.
Councillor Craddock said that, as of January 28, infection rates had plateaued but were subject to constant change.
He said: “Currently there are 702 cases per 100,000. Only Wolverhampton and Dudley have got higher rates than us locally.
“Walsall is now ranked 12th nationally on case rates and other areas are falling faster. The positivity on tests is still one in five so that is 20 per cent and still the highest it has been.
“The highest rate is in the 30-44 year old group which 1,056 per 100,000. Our average is 702 and that age range is over a 1,000.
“We’ve got a slight reduction in the over 65s, come down from 626 to 577 per 100,000.
“Majority of cases are in little clusters and over half of those are in residential dwellings. Community transmission seems to be driving the spread across the whole of the borough.
“There are no large business outbreaks in the borough, however we still have a high number of individual businesses affected.
“Schools are still having cases and we are still providing advice and support to them
“There is some clustering in care homes, however every care home has been offered vaccinations now, both residents and staff although not all of them have taken up the vaccination.”
He added the vaccination programme across the borough, with patient feedback being positive about experiences at the centres.
Councillor Craddock said: “We’re continuing to support the vaccination roll out and uptake in all communities.
“We still have a number of rumours, conspiracy theories and all sorts of nonsense going on about the vaccine.
“But the vaccine is safe, suitable for all faiths and communities and it’s the best option we have to reduce transmission rates and get some of the restrictions lifted.
“We are continuing with the key messages of stay at home and act as if others have got it.”09
