Nottinghamshire Covid rates drop on last week - but parts of the county still above national average

Latest figures up to May 22 show cases per 100,000 across the county now average 21.9 against the English average of 23.6 – down from 25.5 (21) up to May 15.

However, there are still parts of the county that are worryingly high – although health chiefs are keen to highlight that, due to the relatively low level of infections currently, a handful of new geographic cases can make localised figures spike.

Across Nottinghamshire the vast majority of areas have fewer than three new reported cases per 100,000, although there are areas of Mansfield, Ashfield, Bassetlaw and Broxtowe, as well as parts of Nottingham City, with new cases way above the national average.

In the Mansfield area, the Town Centre and Broomhill figure stands at 37.8 per 100,000, while Forest Town and Newlands is recording figures of 35.6 – although both have just four new confirmed cases over the period.

Edwinstowe and Clipstone is showing 27.6 per 100,000 and Rainworth and Blidworth sits at 62.1 per 100,000 – with seven new confirmed cases and an increase of four on the previous week.

In Ashfield, Sutton St Mary’s and Ashfields is recording 39.8 per 100,000 – four new confirmed cases and down by two on the previous week, while Selston sits at 44.6, with three new confirmed cases.

Stanton Hill and Skegby sits at 107.7 to May 22, with seven newly-confirmed cases, while Hucknall North and East is 28.8 new cases per 100,000 with three new cases – an increase of one on the previous period.

Overall, Bassetlaw looks in a good place, with the majority of the district showing fewer than three new confirmed cases, although Worksop North sits at 43.1 new confirmed cases per 100,000 (four new cases), while Retford East is showing a rate of 68.8 new cases per 100,000, with six new cases.

Closer to Nottingham, Eastwood Hall and Brinsley sits at 42.5 per 100,000, with three new confirmed cases, while Bulwell West has a rate of 31.1 per 100,000 (three new cases and an increase of one on the previous period.)

A weekly online briefing run by Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils on Friday, May 28, revealed that the 12 to 17 age group is still showing the highest number of infections around the county, while the majority of cases, hospitalisations and deaths relate to people who have not yet been vaccinated.

And with the Bank Holiday and half-term holiday looming, public health leaders are urging residents to be careful and asking people to take up vaccination offers as soon as they are available.

It is not clear how many of the new cases relate to the B1617.2 (Indian) variant, but Nottinghamshire public health officer Louise Lester said specialist testing is underway in new cases to establish which strain it is.

She said: “Even though this variant of concern is more transmissible, it doesn’t transmit in any different ways, so thinking about hands, face and space is still very important.”