There have been delays yet again with the data tonight and the upward trend in new cases continues.
4,553,814 tests have been done in the last 7 days, a rise of 199 thousand compared to the previous week. The number testing positive in the last week is almost 400,000. A large rise of 56.3% or 143,956 more than recorded in the week before. Looking at the death rate per 100/000 of the population you can see the slow growth. On Wednesday it was 409. By Thursday it was at 432.3 and today 458.7 per 100k of the population.
The numbers admitted to hospital in a week have shown a rise, For the week ending 9 march it was 9,379 and in the 7 days ending today it was 9,945. There are as of today a total of 11,944 in hospital and of those 253 are on a ventilator. The ventilator figure is falling slightly suggesting less people are seriously ill and confirming that more effective methods of ventilation are now available. I do not understand why we cannot be given a number of patients who are actually in ITU beds rather than the number of ventilator cases.
The number of deaths recorded was 730 over the last 7 days just 20 more than the previous week.
The vaccine levels are largely constant, 3rd doses have crept up to 66.9% today.
I am afraid what is happening is not being appreciated. Out of news means out of mind. I have an important meeting now so will try and complete the second half of this report later tonight. It will not matter if you do not read that until tomorrow. Stay safe everyone