Latest figures show Sheffield Covid-19 rate RISING for first time after weeks of falling

New figures from Public Health England have shown that in the seven days up to August 9 there were 90 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Sheffield.

This equates to an infection rate of 15.4 new cases per 100,000 people, which is how PHE measures and compares the rate in which the virus is spreading in different regions.

The week beforehand (ending August 2) the infection rate in Sheffield was 14.0 per 100,000 people, which equated to 40 new cases.

And in the days before that, the infection rate in Sheffield had been gradually falling, having been higher than 17.0 towards the end of July.

In spite of the recent rise, Sheffield’s infection rate is still considerably lower than it is in other parts of the country.

Oldham has the highest rate, jumping from 62 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to August 2 to 104.6 in the seven days to August 9. A total of 248 new cases have been recorded there.

At the end of July, when the infection rate in Sheffield was rising, the city’s Director of Public Health Greg Fell said that people should not be concerned as the increased number of new cases was simply a result of increased testing.

The strategy in the city remains as it was then, which is to encourage as many people to get tested as possible, even if they show the mildest of symptoms.

Mr Fell has also stressed the importance of self-isolating when told to do so, saying this is ‘top priority’ for controlling the spread of the virus.

The figures, for the seven days to August 9, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent three days (August 10-12) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.