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Agenda item

Covid-19 situational report

Minutes:

April Peberdy provided an update on the Covid-19 situation in West Berkshire. She stated that all data presented was correct as of the 15 February 2021. She also noted that the slides being presented were now in line with the rest of Berkshire and would be published on the Berkshire Public Health website.

 

Restrictions:

 

·       The whole of Berkshire remained in a national lockdown

·       Further information could be found via:

https://www.berkshirepublichealth.co.uk/covid-19-dashboard

 

 

Situational awareness (data correct for the week 15th February 2021):

  • She noted that over the last week case rates of Covid-19 had continued to decrease in all Berkshire local authorities.

·       So far there had been 5,834 cases of Covid-19 in West Berkshire since the start of the pandemic and 213 of these had been in the last week.

·       The rate per 100,000 has decreased and now stands at 134.4. The positivity rate had dropped to 5.9%.

  • Weekly case rates at 4th Feb show the highest rates in people aged 30-34 (437 per 100k) and 20-24 year olds (399 per 100k). Case rates have decreased in most age groups over the last week.

 

Epidemiology of cases:

  •  There had been a total of 51,428 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Berkshire. 72% (36,817) of these cases have occurred since the beginning of December 2020.

 

Deaths:

 

·       In West Berkshire there had been 209 COVID-19 related deaths during the whole pandemic. 111 of these were

·       In hospital and 83 were in a care home. In the last week reported (23rd -29th Jan), there were 14 COVID-19 related deaths recorded.

·       Since March 2020, West Berkshire’s all-cause mortality rate has been 20% higher than the previous 5 year average, which equates to 216 additional deaths.

 

Hospital activity:

 

·       The number of admissions for Covid-19 patients is starting to slowly decrease in Royal Berkshire Foundation Trust hospitals. There were 11 admissions on 31st January.

·       On 2nd February, 201 patients were in RBFT hospitals for COVID-19 and 28 (14%) of these were on mechanical ventilation.

 

 

 

 

Outbreaks:

 

·       She noted that an outbreak is defined by PHE as two or more cases with highly probable or confirmed epidemiological links. For care home settings one case counts as an outbreak.

·       Over the last 14 days (25th January to 7th February 2021), PHE has informed us of 29 non-residential COVID-19 outbreaks in Berkshire. 5 occurred in West Berkshire.

 

 

 

The following table provides additional information on the location of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in West Berkshire. These are broken down to show the last 14 days (25th January to 7th February 2021) and all cases prior to this date (up to 24th January 2021).

 

Property classification

All weeks prior

Most recent 14 days

Residential dwelling

91%

88%

Care Homes

4%

3%

House in multiple occupation (HMO)

<1%

-

Other

1%

2%

Undetermined

3%

7%

 

 

Summary:

 

·       The confirmed Covid-19 case rates decreased in all Berkshire local authorities over the last week. In West Berkshire there have been 5,834 cases of Covid-19 in West Berkshire since the start of the pandemic and 213 of these have been in the last week. The rate per 100,000 has decreased and now stands at 134.4. The positivity rate has dropped to 5.9%.

·       West Berkshire’s rate for people aged 60 and over has decreased by 42% in the last week to 62.2 per 100,000 population.

·       The number of daily hospital admissions for COVID-19 is slowly decreasing in Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust hospitals.

·       Sadly there had been 14 deaths from Covid-19 in the last week (23rd – 29th Jan) and 209 COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

 

 

Measures to prevent Covid-19

 

  • Following simple steps could make a significant difference in reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and help protect you and your friends, colleagues and family from the virus:
  • Follow Government Guidance
  • HANDS FACE SPACE
  • This emphasises important elements of the guidance we want everybody to remember - wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, use a face covering in shops and enclosed public spaces and try to keep 2 metres apart from those not in your household.
  • Testing and Self Isolating: If you have symptoms, Isolate and book and test

 

Local information and communications:

 

·       New Vaccination Webpage:

·       To help drive awareness and provide support to local residents of Berkshire, we have created a new vaccine section on our website which features a wealth of information and engaging visuals which you can visit here:

·       https://www.berkshirepublichealth.co.uk/vaccinations

·       The new page is split into three key sections:

·       1. What you need to know about the vaccines 

·       2. Questions and answers 

·       3. Range of video stories from people sharing valuable advice about the vaccination programme and the importance of getting vaccinated. 

 

Councillor Doherty noted that the information on the Council’s website around vaccinations perhaps needed changing given the latest guidance around those aged 16-64 with an underlying health condition.

 

Meradin Peachey noted that it was still key to let their GP contact them first.