Number of new coronavirus cases falls again in Brighton and Hove

The number of new coronavirus cases in Brighton and Hove has fallen again but the local director of public health has urged people not to drop their guard.

The number of confirmed cases in Brighton and Hove over the seven days to Sunday 17 January was 1,274. This equated to a rate of 438 per 100,000 people.

The number of new cases in the previous seven days – to Sunday 10 January – totalled 2,076 or a rate of 713.7 per 100,000 people.

The total number of people to have tested positive for the coronavirus in Brighton and Hove since the start of the pandemic had reached a total of 12,111 by yesterday (Wednesday 20 January).

In Brighton and Hove, 242 people died with covid-19 mentioned on their death certificate up to Friday 8 January.

In the week to Friday 8 January, 62 people died in Brighton and Hove from all causes, with 20 – almost a third – mentioning covid-19 on the death certificate.

It was the highest covid death toll of the third wave although the figure was exceeded more than once during the first lockdown.

A different measure indicated that 231 people had died in Brighton and Hove within 28 days of having a positive test for the virus.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH), which runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, and the Princess Royal Hospital, in Hastings, recorded 30 deaths in the week to yesterday (Wednesday 20 January).

In the previous week BSUH recorded 27 deaths of patients who had had a positive covid test within the previous 28 days. The total for the trust was 323.

Nationally, the daily number of deaths reported today (Thursday 21 January) was 1,290 deaths, down from the record 1,820 reported yesterday, making 94,580 in total.

The number of people with covid-19 on their death certificate went up to 95,829.

Brighton and Hove’s director of public health Alistair Hill said: “This week I can share some good news. Lockdown is starting to work.

“The rate of new cases of covid-19 in Brighton and Hove is slowing down. In the past seven days we saw a 36 per cent reduction compared to the previous week.

Covid vaccinations get under way at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton

“It is also good news that the NHS vaccination programme has started. Our oldest and most vulnerable residents, and the key workers who support and care for them, are getting their vaccinations.

“But despite these positive signs it is essential we do not relax our guard as the situation remains very serious.

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“The virus is still very present in our city, the rates remain very high, particularly in those aged over 60 and the new variant is more infectious than before.

“Our hospitals are treating more people for covid now than at the previous peak in April 2020. Sadly, far too many are dying of the disease.

“The best way to stop covid spreading in our city is to follow the government’s national lockdown rules to stay at home and to diligently follow the ‘hands, face, space’ guidelines when you do go out.

“Thank you, everyone, for playing your part in driving down infection rates. If we all keep working together, we will slow the rate of transmission and stop covid spreading in our city.”