By Rise in Dudley Covid-19 cases
Dudley residents are being urged to remain alert after a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the borough over the last week.
The latest data shows there were 16 new cases from July 21 to 27, an average of five cases per 100,000 residents, compared to four from July 14 to 20, an average of 1.2 cases per 100,000.
Dudley’s director of public health Bal Kaur said: “We are closely monitoring the data for Dudley and while our number of cases remains very low, we have seen a small rise over the last week, some of these within family households.
“With restrictions easing and us all now being able to see family and friends, it’s important to remember the virus has not gone away.
“It’s vital we continue to limit contact with people outside our own households or bubbles, we don’t meet in large groups and we follow social distancing and stay at two metres away from others, where we can.
“If you have symptoms you must self isolate and get tested. If your test shows you have the virus you will be asked to protect the community by sharing details of your close contacts with the NHS Test and Trace service. This allows us to provide guidance to the contacts to slow the infection rate in the borough.”
However he continued: “While we have seen a rise in cases, it’s important to stress this does not mean we are close to a local lockdown.
“The numbers are still low in Dudley and I’d like to thank you all for your efforts in adhering to public health measures. However, we do need everyone to continue to play their part and follow government guidance to help control the virus and save lives.”
For the latest information on help and support in Dudley, residents can go to www.dudley.gov.uk/coronavirus
