Health chief's plea for common sense after Northamptonshire's biggest surge in Covid-19 cases

Northampton, Wellingborough and South Northants all seeing "significant spikes"
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Northamptonshire's health chief is asking people to show "common sense" after the county saw its biggest single-day rise in Covid-19 cases.

Government figures published on Wednesday showed 149 new positive tests in the county during the most recent 24-hour period, taking the total to 747 in a week since last Thursday.

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Three boroughs and districts — Northampton, Wellingborough and South Northants — now have weekly infection rates higher than 100 per 100,000 people.

Northamptonshire's Director of Public Health, Lucy Wightman, told Friday's media briefing: "We are seeing a significant spike in community transmission, particularly within households.

"This is a county-wide position, not limited to certain boroughs and districts.

"There has been some level of non-compliance with the national guidance and we're trying to implore people to recognise the increased threat locally and apply common sense to be as careful as possible.

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"We have been asking people to follow the rule of six but we could go even further.

The number of cases has risen sharply in Wellingborough over the last weekThe number of cases has risen sharply in Wellingborough over the last week
The number of cases has risen sharply in Wellingborough over the last week

"Just because you can do certain things doesn''t mean you should and you need to consider if meeting with five other people is sensible in the current circumstances.

"If you must do so, then we would encourage people to do that outdoors."

Northampton now has an infection rate of 118.2, including 51 new cases which were announced yesterday (Wednesday).

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Abington Vale is the worst affected area with a seven–day rolling rate of 226.2 cases per 100,000 people up to October 9 — analysts wait four days to include local area figures in official data to allow for corrections.

Government revealed 51 new Covid-19 cases in Northampton yesterdayGovernment revealed 51 new Covid-19 cases in Northampton yesterday
Government revealed 51 new Covid-19 cases in Northampton yesterday

See how your area is being affected by Covid-19 using this interacive map HEREIn Wellingborough, the Redwell area has a seven–day rolling rate of 217.5 up to October 9.

Spikes in South Northamptonshire are down to a surge in cases in parts of Towcester and around villages of Silverstone, Syresham, Helmdon and Blakesly.

The areas around Blisworth, Roade and Yardley Gobion have seen 15 fresh cases in a week.

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Areas of Corby, Kettering and Oundle in East Northamptonshire also have infection rates well over 100.

Wednesday's sad news of a second Covid-19 patient dying in Kettering General Hospital in the space of six days will also further raise concerns among local Public Health officials.

Northamptonshire was put in the lowest 'medium risk' tier when Boris Johnson announced his three-tier scheme to control the virus on Monday.

But the trigger point at which the county, or parts of the county, could be placed into the middle 'high risk' tier has not so far been made public.

If that became reality, households would be prevented from mixing indoors — including in pubs and restaurants.