Star date: 14th September 2020

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN SALFORD CONTINUE TO RISE

Salford has 32 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 2,174. There have been no new virus-related deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, after the Salford Star slammed out-of-his depth Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, last Monday for not providing any leadership as virus cases threatened to spike out of control, by the end of the week he had produced a video and letter to residents calling for them to "protect each other".

Full details here...

Salford has 32 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 2,174, up from the previous day's 2,142.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, cases in Manchester rose to 4,983 (up from 4,906), followed by Oldham with 3,281 (up from 3,226), Bolton 3,239 (up from 3,143), Rochdale 2,544 (up from 2,509), Wigan 2,534 (up from 2,511), Tameside 2,274 (up from 2,234), Stockport 2,163 (up from 2,139), Trafford 1,851 (up from 1,835) and Bury 1,826 (up from 1,799).

There have been no new virus-related deaths announced by Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, as the coronavirus crisis continues to rage in Salford, the City Mayor, Paul Dennett, has finally put out some messages after a whole summer of nothing. Zero.

Salford City Council Cabinet, for instance, hasn't even discussed COVID-19 on its agenda at all, apart from anti-social behaviour on Salford Quays in July. Minutes of these meetings show that the crisis was not even brought up under Any Other Business by the most senior politicians in the city, other than a note about the launch of the Spirit of Salford helpline back in March. 

Exactly a week ago, the Salford Star slated the £69,000 a year Mayor for being 'out-of-his-depth'... "There is no leadership in Salford, apart from social media sceptics pouring out conspiracy theories and misinformation..." the Star wrote (see here).

On Thursday last week Dennett belatedly issued a letter to residents asking them to "show the Spirit of Salford in protecting each other" and to "go further" than the Greater Manchester restrictions; to "avoid non-essential journeys on public transport" and to "wear face coverings in all indoor public venues at all times unless medically exempt".

The Mayor also issued a video (177 views on YouTube so far) saying almost the same things (see here), while the Council issued a press release (not sent to the Salford Star to communicate with its 40,000 readers).

With Salford Council and its Mayor finally kicked into action, many residents are wondering whether it's too horses and stable doors late; that these sorts of messages should have been given out weeks ago.  

Meanwhile, little information about the extent of the current crisis is being released by Salford Council...How many schools have cases? How many care homes have cases? Why can't people get a test without travelling miles? How will the so-called 'moonshot' testing work and who is eligible? Etc etc etc....