LevellerLive

With the number of infections slowing down this month we are looking to cease our regular reporting. We hope we have been able to keep you informed with the facts and without the hyperbole throughout the pandemic. The Leveller® will continue monitoring COVID 19 data. If the pandemic looks as if it is taking hold again, we will resume our regular reporting.

In the two weeks to 18 May, 1,116 new cases of COVID were reported. That marks seven consecutive weeks of falling case numbers. The numbers are now at a level last seen in July 2021. The numbers continue to track downwards in line with the warmer weather. We would argue that the case for mask wearing in public settings and enhanced basic hygiene remains.

The table below tracks the overall weekly number of infections in Somerset in recent weeks.

• 1,116 for the 14 days to May 18
• 869 for the 8 days to 4 May
• 1,097 for 6 days to 26 April
• 1,997 for the week to 20 April
• 2,730 for the week to 13 April
• 4,636 for the week to 6 April
• 6,606 for the week to 30 March
• 7,677 for the week to 23 March
• 5.966 for 1 week to 16 March
• 6,033 for 2 weeks to 9 March

With such low case loads, we no longer receive regional data from around the county. For context, only a few weeks ago the case load in Taunton reported in one week was higher than the caseload for the entire county reported in the last fortnight.

All that said, a number of people have noted that the figures continue to be underreported as increasingly people with COVID 19 are simply taking time off work as they would with any other sickness. The relaxation of reporting and quarantine rules, makes keeping a complete count harder.

Before we go any further however, our usual health warning about the figures.  Unlike NHS data these numbers include care homes and incidences of COVID 19 “at home”. The data is prepared to 18 May for cases (although different dates are used for some of the other figures – for instance deaths are reported to 6 May). The reason for this delay is to keep the numbers accurate – or should we say as accurate as possible. The daily totals published by the NHS are subject to constant revision, as not unreasonably, the data is constantly being updated to improve accuracy. It is also worth noting that the SCC area does not include North Somerset (so Weston hospital) or BANES (So the RUH in Bath) both of which are separate administrative areas.

The declining numbers of infections are not yet reflected in the figures for deaths. This is again, as expected. It is likely to be a couple of weeks more before the number of deaths from COVID 19 falls away altogether. in the week to 6 May, the latest figures we have, there were 6 deaths reported. 5 were in hospital and one in a care home.

The figures for hospitalisations continue started to fall steeply. By 4 May just 100 people were in Yeovil or Musgrove with COVID 19. By 10 May that had fallen to just 52.

The R number remains at 0.7-0.9 this week. That suggests case numbers should be falling and that does reflect the reality on the ground.

As ever here is the full dataset so you can form your own conclusions: