Covid infection rate doubles in Sheffield, as health boss warns of potential ‘take-off’

Pls don’t do this to us


The infection rate of coronavirus has doubled across Sheffield and all of South Yorkshire, with 179 confirmed cases in the Steel City alone last week.

The rate in Sheffield rose from 14.5 in the week before August 28, to the most recent 30.6, according to data from the Office of National Statistics based on the number of new cases per 100,000 of the population.

Health chief for Sheffield, Greg Fell, warned of the need for caution. He said: “This could just be a temporary upwards tick, or it could be the start of another take-off.

“We are all expecting an upwards swing in autumn – that is probably unavoidable, with schools going back and universities going back. The question is how low we can keep it. Any increase is a concern.”

It comes after a Sheffield pub banned all under-25s in a push to reduce the spread, and PM Boris Johnson introduced a ban on social gatherings above six people.

“The situation across the country, and especially in Northern towns and cities, has clearly deteriorated in the past week,” said Dan Jarvis, Sheffield City Region Mayor.

“Each of our South Yorkshire local authorities has seen their infection rate at least double in that period. There is a very real risk that we could see a sustained rise in infections which would put at risk the gains we’ve made.

“We all urgently need to work together to slow down the virus and ensure we do not see further local lockdown restrictions.”

Mr. Jarvis went on to warn of the importance of respecting the guidelines, wearing masks and washing hands.

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