A health chief has warned Islanders to be cautious as COVID infections start to rise once again.
In the last week, patients coming to St Mary’s Hospital in Newport with COVID – or testing positive while at the hospital – has doubled, says the Isle of Wight NHS Trust’s interim chief executive, Darren Cattell.
Speaking at a meeting of the Isle of Wight Council’s health and social care committee on Monday, Mr Cattell said the community infection rate was growing and the Trust is seeing a ‘big’ increase in patients.
Government figures show in the last 7 days, 1,328 people on the Island have tested positive for COVID-19. The rate in those 7 days is 642.3 cases per 100,000 people on the Island, well above the national rate for England at 502.4.
On 10th March, figures suggest 239 cases were logged — 26 of those being possible re-infections. And on 8th March, there were 14 COVID patients in St Mary’s Hospital.
Mr Cattell said the increase could be for all sorts of reasons but in recent weeks, COVID measures have been relaxed across the country as the UK learns to live with COVID. It has meant those who have the virus no longer need to isolate and face masks do not have to be worn anymore.
In just a matter of weeks free testing will be abolished, which should bring down the figures and help the Isle of Wight – and the rest of the country – to live with COVID.
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Which rather goes to show that the Stasi mask measures in place at HMP StMarys make no difference at all. Just theatre! Time to stop the hysteria.
joanna, were you born stupid or do you practice every day because you are amazingly good at it.
You are the stupid one here Reg.
Stopping free testing, might bring down the figures, but it doesn’t make the virus go away.
Hopefully, anyone who catches it, only has a mild infection and recovers quickly.
We the people have to learn to live with covid, weather we like it or not. Public job types can shut their doors, and go phone only, or make you feel like a lottery winner if you get an actual appointment.
Theres a noticable reluctance to do the job they’re paid for, covid is now the best excuse. And dont forget, they all get pay rises and moan it’s not enough. While the rest of us get nothing!
Wonder if all the new arrivals on our beach etc etc, are part of the problem. Or are only woke speeches allowed.
You tell em Dicky.
More scare mongering. Yawn.
Look at the figures or at least speak to someone who knows, idiot.
Would help if people went and got the vaccine.
Obviously figures will fall if there is no testing being done to give results. But how will any new variants be detected which might be more serious than the omicron seems to be?
I think I will stay with my mask wearing in crowded places if the freedom fighters don’t object.