Sheffield's day-by-day coronavirus rate as new cases drop sharply in August

The figures, for the seven days to August 2, 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 for each day is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent three days (August 3-5) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

For the week ending August 2, the infection rate for Sheffield was 13.3 new cases per 100,000 people, which adds up to 78 new cases. This is down from 17.1 new cases per 100,000 people for the week previous.

The most significant factor in the drop in the number of new cases is that on both August 1 and 2 there were only two new cases of coronavirus reported across the whole of the city.

On July 31 there were six cases confirmed, and earlier on in the week the daily number of cases was significantly higher.

On July 30 there were 20 new cases; on July 29 there were 11 new cases; on July 28 there were 18 new cases; and on July 27 there were 19 new cases.

This comes following concern from Sheffield residents after a few weeks where the coronavirus infection rate was on the rise in Sheffield.

However, Sheffield director of public health Greg Fell reassured people that the infection rate was nothing to be alarmed about as it simply indicated an increase in testing.

He also stressed the importance of self-isolating for anybody with symptoms.

Mr Fell said that he did not expect Sheffield to have to go into a local lockdown like other parts of the country, and on the same day the Government’s ‘watch list’ for places at risk was announced and did not include Sheffield.

Local lockdowns are currently in place in Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire.