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Coronavirus cases in Wolverhampton drop but virus still 'prevalent'

Coronavirus cases in Wolverhampton have dropped only a week after the city saw its biggest spike in cases in three months.

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The coronavirus testing site in Showell Road, Wolverhampton

Figures show cases have dropped from 17.5 cases per 100,000 people down to 11 cases per 100,000 people in the past week.

But health chiefs in the city said the virus remained "prevalent" and have urged people to get tested in a bid to curb the spread.

It follows a similar pattern to Sandwell, which saw a spike but has since seen the number of new cases drop by 30 per cent compared with the last week.

The daily number of new coronavirus cases in Wolverhampton since July 1. Photo: Public Health England

Two further testing sites will open as part of the bid to contain the virus, with the site on Showell Road already accepting walk-ins.

A testing centre will open at Whitmore Reans Health Centre, Lowe Street, on Tuesday – with a second site planned to open in Bilston later this week.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: "Testing is incredibly important. It helps us prevent Covid-19 from spreading so we can save lives, protect our health and care systems, support our city to recover economically and, ultimately, help people safely return to normal life.

"As lockdown measures are eased and we move into the next phase of living with Covid-19, our overriding priority is to ensure people can get tested so that we can try and keep coronavirus under control.

"We have prioritised testing from the very early days of the pandemic. We are proud of the fact that Wolverhampton was one of the first places in the country to establish a drive-through test centre and to roll out proactive testing into local care homes.

"We are aware that coronavirus remains prevalent in Wolverhampton so the message is simple; if you have got symptoms – no matter how mild – you simply must get a test."

The health centre in Whitmore Reans will open from 2pm to 5pm on Tuesday, 10am to 5pm on Wednesday, and on Thursday onwards from 8am to 8pm.

It comes after the city recorded a total of with 17 positive tests in one day last week – the highest figure for three months – which chiefs put down to increased testing.

Testing is available and free of charge to anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus, no matter how mild. People who don't live within walking distance of the sites have been urged to drive.

Anyone who does have symptoms should immediately self-isolate for 10 days and book a test by visiting www.gov.uk/coronavirus or by calling 119 as soon as possible.

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