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Bristol’s coronavirus rate is worse than Liverpool
Bristol’s coronavirus rate is now worse than Liverpool’s, Marvin Rees has revealed.
The northern city was the first to be placed in Tier 3 – the highest level of alert announced by the Government last month before it decided to impose a second national lockdown, which began at midnight.
But Bristol has now surpassed its Covid-19 levels and is almost double the average in England as a whole, according to the city’s mayor.
is needed now More than ever
Speaking during a Facebook Live on Wednesday, November 4, Rees said: “As of 4pm today, the total number of cases in Bristol is 7,786 since the pandemic began.
“Our current incidence level of Covid is 404.6 cases per 100,000 people. The England average is 229.4, Liverpool 357, Manchester 476 and Nottingham 391.
“Obviously we are in that really challenging area now above the national average. We are still not where Manchester is but hopefully the measures being taken will stem the tide, and I know we have lost a few cases per 100,000 in the past few days.
“In Bath and North East Somerset there are 241, South Gloucestershire 272 and North Somerset 171.We are part of the South West and historically have done relatively well but we are a major city and those challenges are going to come our way. But we stay on the front foot trying to tackle this virus.”
Bristol has overtaken Liverpool in its number of cases. Photo: Qezz Gill
The mayor said the region’s R number – how many people one infected person will pass the virus onto on average – now stood between 1.2 and 1.5.
He said: “It’s above one which indicates that a positive case will deliver more than one other positive case. Ten cases will infect 12 to 15 other people, so we need to get that below one.”
According to the Centre for Cities, which analyses the scale of Covid-19 in UK urban areas, Bristol’s rate of 404.6 per 100,000 people places it 12th highest in the country.
As of November 3, Blackburn topped the list on 732 ahead of Wigan, Manchester, Doncaster, Bradford, Barnsley, Warrington, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Sheffield and Leeds.
Bristol is now the 12th highest place in the city for outbreaks of the virus. Photo: Martin Booth
Rees said Bristol City Council only found out about the four-week national lockdown at the same time as everyone else, which was “frustrating”.
“It leaves us as local leaders on the back foot, but the team worked incredibly hard at the weekend,” he said.
The mayor said everyone must stay home and only leave for a limited number of reasons.
“Those include education, work if you cannot work from home, exercise and leisure outdoors with your household, support bubble or one other person from another household, for medical reasons, such as appointments, or to escape injury or harm,” he said.
“We want to stress that. There was a concern for some people for whom home was not the safest place and felt trapped – you can leave your home if you fear for your safety.”
The mayor urges vigilance against Covid-19. Photo: James Koch
Other reasons to go out include shopping for food and essentials, caring for vulnerable people and volunteering.
Mr Rees said: “Schools, colleges and universities can remain open. You can form a childcare support bubble with one other household for childcare.
“Non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will close, click-and-collect services will continue and essential shops including supermarkets will remain open. Pubs, bars and restaurants must close except for takeaway deliveries.bNo wedding ceremonies can take place.
“There is no change to funerals – 30 guests are able to go to a funeral, 50 to scatter ashes or attend a burial. Places of worship will be closed except for funerals. On care homes we’re still awaiting government guidance on visits. The furlough scheme will be open until December now with employees receiving 80 per cent of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500.”
Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol.
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