Salford has 71 new coronavirus cases, up from the previous day's 49, bringing the cumulative total to 13,985, as the overall fall in infections levels off. The seven day average of cases has increased slightly from 346 to 349, as has the seven day rate per 100,000 population which rose from 133.7 to 134.8.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, the boroughs are yo-yoing, with cases and rates swinging slightly up and down. Salford has one of the lowest rates of infection, fourth lowest out of ten boroughs...
Cases in Manchester during the latest seven day data period were 970 (up from 950), with a rate of 175.5 (up from 171.8), followed by Bolton with 452 (down from 477), with a rate of 157.2 (down from 165.9), and Oldham 396 (up from 383), with a rate of 167 (up from 161.5).
Wigan has 615 (down from 633), with a rate of 187.1 (down from 192.6), Tameside 237 (down from 250), with a rate of 104.6 (down from 110.4), Rochdale 433 (down from 450), with a rate of 194.7 (down from 202.3), Stockport 365 (up from 356), with a rate of 124.4 (up from 121.3), Bury 444 (same), with a rate of 232.5 (same) and Trafford 210 (up from 203), with a rate of 88.5 (up from 85.5).
There have been two new virus-related deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.
Meanwhile, the latest coronavirus survey figures from the Office for National Statistics show that cases are rising in secondary and primary schools. Secondary children in years 7 to year 11 (red on the graph) have the highest rate of any of the demographic groups - with more than 2% of children having the virus, which is significantly higher than the university student age group.
Primary and early years children - from age 2 to year 6 (yellow on the graph) - are the third highest of the demographic groups with around 1% of children having the virus, while the only other age group with rising cases is 35-49 year olds (light bue on the map), the age group with most parents of school-aged children.
"The latest ONS Coronavirus survey figures should be very worrying to the Government - especially in the run up to Christmas" says Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union "They show that cases are again rising in secondary and primary schools.
"Government must speak about these figures and act on them" he adds "It is welcome, though overdue, that mass testing is to be rolled out in some areas. But there are many boroughs where cases are higher than in the boroughs in London, Kent and Essex where the roll-out is to happen. The Government should commit now to a roll of mass testing across the country, not just in the South East. The testing should also happen in primary schools.
"We predict that when this testing happens many children will have to be sent home on public health advice" he explains "This will lead in practice to a chaotic closure in the last week of term.
"The Government would have been much better advised to have encouraged schools to prepare for on-line learning in the last week of term" he says "That would have resulted in lower cases before the holidays began and could have been planned. However, the Government set its face hard against this, instructing schools contemplating it to change their plans.
"The Government ignored our call for a 'circuit break' to include schools, which has been shown to suppress the virus much more quickly" he concludes "They have ignored our call for secondary schools to run on a rota basis which can keep cases lower whilst keeping children learning. As a result, many parents have seen their children sent home for multiple periods on public health advice. We need much better from the Government in the New Year, if the chaotic pattern is not to continue and even get worse."
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
