Calderdale covid infection rate drops by 20 per cent as borough waits for tier announcement

Calderdale’s Director of Public Health, Deborah Harkins, has welcomed the news but says there is still a long way to go to bring the infection rate down further and reduce the risk of it spreading.

She said on Monday on social media: “Still a long way to go, but great that the rate is now at the national average.

“Let’s carry on doing the three big things to protect our loved ones and our communities.”

The three things are avoiding mixing with anyone outside your household or bubble, wearing a face covering in all indoor settings where you might come into contact with someone from outside your household or bubble and isolating at home if you or someone else you live with has COVID-19 symptoms or you have been advised to do this by the NHS.

NHS Digital summary data for the seven days from December 6 to December 12 show the case rate is now down to 153.2 people per 100,000 with 324 cases, 20 per cent lower than the rate for the previous seven days of 189.2 per 100,000.

Calderdale entered Tier 3 of COVID-19 restrictions on December 2, following national lockdown.

The December 6 to December 12 data shows Calderdale has a two per cent decrease in triages – the number of calls from people who think they may have coronavirus to the various NHS lines – with 184, a triage rate of 87 per 100,000 of people.

The Government’s figures show the number of positive cases in each area in Calderdale for the seven days to December 9.

Todmorden West and Cornholme, 11; Todmorden East and Walsden, fewer than three cases; Hebden Bridge, 19; Mytholmroyd and Cragg Vale, 12; Ripponden, Rishworth and Barkisland, 10; Greetland and Stainland, 6; Elland, 10; Rastrick West, 19; Rastrick East, fewer than three; Brighouse, 14; Clifton and Bailiff Bridge, 14; Hipperholme, 9; Northowram and Shelf, 19; Central Halifax and Boothtown, 12; Sowerby Bridge, 13; Sowerby and Luddenden Foot, 7; Norton Tower and Mount Tabor, 14; Savile Park, 15; Skircoat Green, 29; Southowram and Siddal, 16; Pellon East, 23; Pellon West and Highroad Well, 20; King Cross, 21; Wheatley and Ovenden West, 12; Ovenden East, 8; Mixenden, 14 and Illingworth and Ogden, 4.

The Government figures by local area are classed as Middle Super Output Areas – each has an average population of around 7,200.