South Yorkshire 'in precarious position' over rising coronavirus infections, says Dan Jarvis

South Yorkshire is in a ‘precarious position’ around the number of people infected with Covid-19 as figures show the region is above the national average.
Dan Jarvis has issued a warning to the people of South Yorkshire that they should not be complacent when it comes to coronavirusDan Jarvis has issued a warning to the people of South Yorkshire that they should not be complacent when it comes to coronavirus
Dan Jarvis has issued a warning to the people of South Yorkshire that they should not be complacent when it comes to coronavirus

Data issued by the Sheffield City Region from Public Health England shows Barnsley has 22 cases per 100,000, Rotherham 18.5, Sheffield 16.7 and Doncaster 3.2.

At this time, none of Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield are being considered for the reimplementation of lockdown measures. Government officials are tracking places like Swindon, Newark and West Bromwich which all have rates of over 28 infections per 100,000.

The England average stands at around 11.9 per 100,000.

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Nationally, a hotspot along the M62 corridor stretching from Greater Manchester to West Yorkshire has emerged, which neighbours parts of South Yorkshire.

Some of the South Yorkshire numbers at the start of the week were approaching the numbers seen in West Yorkshire and due to its location bordering the region, South Yorkshire is in a ‘precarious position’ a Sheffield City Region spokesman said.

Mayor Dan Jarvis issued a word of caution and urged people not to "become complacent".

He said: “Coronavirus still poses a very real threat, and in South Yorkshire the situation remains precarious, with the latest data showing a significantly higher rate of infection than the national average. We have just regained many aspects of normal life, but if cases rise beyond acceptable levels, we will have no alternative but to give them up once more.

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“To keep ourselves and others safe, and avoid that painful choice, we all have a responsibility to follow the guidelines. That means working from home where possible, regularly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, social distancing, and keeping at least two metres away from people outside your household or support bubble whenever possible.

“Crucially, you must self-isolate and get tested for COVID if you develop symptoms or otherwise suspect – even slightly – that you might be infected. And if you are returning from abroad, you must follow the rules on quarantine.

“I’m continuing to work with our local authorities and the NHS to assess the situation in South Yorkshire. We are closely monitoring the data and will act quickly if we do need to introduce further measures to reduce the spread of the virus in our region.

“Without a vaccine the only way to prevent the spread of this virus is by following the guidelines, and working together to protect our health and the health of others. We need everyone in South Yorkshire to continue following the rules so we can make more progress and further relax the lockdown measures – rather than having to make them stricter.”

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James Mitchinson