Warning as Covid-19 infection rates double local average in Hateley Heath ward
People living and working in the Hateley Heath area of West Bromwich are being warned to take extra care – as Covid-19 rates in the ward increase.
The rate of infection in Hateley Heath ward is 216 per 100,000 people, which is more than twice the average rate for Sandwell (83 per 100,000) as a whole. There have been 33 new cases in the last seven days of data (17-23 March) among people living in the area.
Hateley Heath ward is part of the wider West Bromwich area, with the Tame Valley canal to the north and the Expressway/All Saints Way to the south. The ward includes Hydes Road, Hall Green Road, Mill Pool Green Space, Clarkes Lane, Jowetts Lane, the area to the west of Heath Lane Cemetery and the area to the east of Jesson playing fields.
Anyone showing symptoms must self-isolate and book a Covid-19 test at www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119.
Dr Lisa McNally, Sandwell’s director of public health, said: “In recent weeks, Sandwell has seen one of the fastest falls in Covid-19 case rates in the country. This is a great achievement by the local community.
“Recently, however, we seen a sharp rise in infection within the Hateley Heath area.
“There has been no single large outbreak in the area. Rather there has just been a general rise in infections, with shops and supermarkets often emerging as possible places of infection.
“People living and working in that area must take extra care to avoid becoming infected and passing Covid-19 on to others.
“This is especially important as the variant of the virus first found in Kent that is circulating in Sandwell spreads very quickly and is linked with a higher risk of severe illness and death.”
People without symptoms who have to leave home for any reason, for example going to work, can book regular rapid Covid-19 tests at the West Bromwich Town Hall testing site – visit www.sandwell.gov.uk/testsandwell for details or, for people who cannot book online, call 0121 569 6999. These tests are only for people without symptoms.
If you are an adult without symptoms who lives with children at primary school, secondary school or college (or if you are in a support bubble or childcare bubble with another household with school age children), you can also collect rapid tests from other testing centres to use at home, any time between 1.30pm and 7pm. Details available at www.sandwell.gov.uk/rapidhometests
Everyone should continue to follow social distancing rules – remember, hands, face, space.