Warning as Covid-19 infection rate doubles in part of West Bromwich
Black Country residents have been warned to take care after a sharp localised rise in Covid infections in a part of the region.
People living and working in Hateley Heath, West Bromwich are being warned to take extra care with particular concern over the higher-risk Kent variant which is circulating in the area.
The rate of infection in the area was 216 cases per 100,000 people in the week to Tuesday, more than twice the average rate across the Sandwell borough which was 83 per 100,000) as a whole.
There were 33 new cases in seven days among people living in the area.
The affected ward includes Hydes Road, Hall Green Road, Mill Pool Green Space, Clarkes Lane, Jowetts Lane, the area to the west of Heath Lane Cemetery and the area to the east of Jesson playing fields.
Dr Lisa McNally, Sandwell’s director of public health, said: “In recent weeks, Sandwell has seen one of the fastest falls in Covid-19 case rates in the country. This is a great achievement by the local community.
“Recently, however, we seen a sharp rise in infection within the Hateley Heath area.
“There has been no single large outbreak in the area. Rather there has just been a general rise in infections, with shops and supermarkets often emerging as possible places of infection.
“People living and working in that area must take extra care to avoid becoming infected and passing Covid-19 on to others.
“This is especially important as the variant of the virus first found in Kent that is circulating in Sandwell spreads very quickly and is linked with a higher risk of severe illness and death.”
Anyone showing symptoms of coronavirus is being urged to self-isolate and get tested.
