Suffolk: Covid’s percentage triples as UKHSA issues a warning

Published: 3:32 pm June 27, 2022

Health experts have warned that Covid “has not disappeared” after the number of reported infections in Suffolk more than tripled in less than a month.

Data released by the government shows that 174 Covid cases were identified in the county on June 23.

That figure has risen in the past month, tripling more than 57 cases registered on May 26th.

In the last four weeks, the percentage of Covid in Suffolk has almost tripled from 59.2 cases per 100,000 people to 171.5.

The amounts reported are likely to be distorted by the lack of free public tests, which ended in April this year.

The true number of Covid cases in Suffolk could be distorted by the lack of free testing – Credit: PA

But the rise in infections does not match the increase in Covid-related deaths, with less than one person dying from the virus each week in Suffolk since early June.

Both East Suffolk, the North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which manages Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, and West Suffolk Hospital have seen a decline in Covid patients since April.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the increase in infections was partly due to the presence of two variants of Omicron, known as BA.4 and BA.5.

A UKHSA spokesman said: “It has been several months since the restrictions on Covid-19 were eased and we are all enjoying some normalcy after a challenging two years that have affected all corners of life.

“Since we are now expecting a life without limits and heading for the period of social summer vacation, we must keep in mind that the virus has not disappeared.

“In fact, in recent weeks we have seen an increase in cases in the East of England with the displacement of the dominant strain from the Omicron BA.2 variant.

“Recent data show that Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 now account for more than half of the growing cases of Covid-19 in the UK and are leading to a recent increase in infections.

“We are lucky that so far the increase in cases has not led to an increase in hospitalizations or deaths and this is due to the effectiveness of the vaccine and the incredible efforts of people across the country to be vaccinated.