Birmingham’s health chief has issued a statement to reassure residents after the city’s first case of coronavirus COVID-19 was confirmed today (Thursday 5th March).Â
Official figures released by the government’s Department of Health and Social Care puts the number of confirmed cases in the UK at 110, as of 9am today (5th March).
‘Risk remains low’
Birmingham City Council’s Director of Public Health, Justin Varney said that officials were prepared for the situation, having expected and had planned for the city’s first case, along with partners in the NHS and Public Health England (PHE).
He said: “I’d like to reassure citizens that the risk to the general public remains low and Birmingham City Council is working with partners to do everything we can to stop the virus spreading and ensure the people of Birmingham are protected.
Partnership working
Public Health England (PHE) is working closely with NHS colleagues and Birmingham City Council to manage the situation and help reduce the risk of further cases.
People who may have had close contact with the confirmed case are currently being contacted and advised about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after they had contact with the confirmed case. This tried and tested method will ensure that any risk to them is minimised and the wider public is protected.
‘Check in’
Mr Varney said: “Current evidence indicates that most cases appear to be mild, with patients experiencing flu-like symptoms. Older residents or those with weakened immune systems or long-term conditions may experience more severe symptoms, which is why it is important to help protect ourselves and each other. This is a good reminder to all of us to check in on neighbours and loved ones and be conscious of each other.”
Hygiene advice
General good hygiene is being advised as the best way of reducing the spread of the virus. Mr Varney said: “Following Government guidance to take basic hygiene precautions remains the best way of significantly reducing the chances of spreading any virus: sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it, wash your hands frequently and don’t touch your face unless you’ve just washed your hands. We should do this regularly throughout the day.
“Good regular cleaning with normal detergent of surfaces people touch regularly or may cough onto, like door handles and lift buttons, is also sensible. People should log onto https://gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest advice and information.”
Katie Spence, Deputy Director, Health Protection, Public Health England West Midlands confirmed: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 who is a Birmingham resident. We’re working closely with local NHS colleagues as well as Birmingham City Council to manage the situation and help reduce the risk of further cases.”
Council officials have said that no further details of the case will be released, to protect patient confidentiality.
PHE and the NHS are well-prepared to deal with coronavirus and the priority is to safeguard local communities which sometimes involves taking preventative measures to help reduce the risk of further cases.
Coronavirus COVID-19 presents with flu-like symptoms including a fever, a cough and in some cases difficulty breathing. The current evidence is that most cases appear to be mild. Anyone who is concerned about health symptoms is advised to check the Government’s website
Panic buying
Supplies of hand sanitiser and soaps in stores locally and across the UK have been severely depleted as consumers rush to stock up.
According to BBC News, the UK’s chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty – addressing MPs on the health and social care committee – said there was “no need” for members of the public to stockpile food or medicine, adding that the outbreak would be a “marathon not a sprint”.
“There is nothing in the current environment that would rationally lead someone to want to go out and stock up on stuff.” he added.
On the day this article was published on B31 voices the UK confirms 115 cases.
Germany confirms 87 new cases, taking its total to 349.
Singapore confirms five more cases, bringing it’s total number to 117.
Spain confirms that their total number of cases had risen to 234.
France registers 423 cases and 7 deaths.
South Korea confirms 145 more cases, bringing the total number to 5,766. The death toll had reached 35.
Italy reports 769 new cases and 41 new deaths, bringing the total number to 3,850 and 148 respectively.
After missing 5 COBRA coronavirus meetings in February Boris Johnson finally attends his first COBRA meeting on the 2nd March (3 days before this article was published) and unveil’s the governments “battle plan”.
Boris Johnson is still claiming to be shaking hands with covid19 “patients and everybody” and telling people they should continue as normal and will himself in two days (7th march)l attend the England v wales rugby match at Twickenham,with an attendance of 81,522.
Government guidelines and Boris Johnson’s attendance at the rugby match will be later cited by the Cheltenham festival organisers as the reason why it will go ahead in 11 days time(between the 16th-20th) it attracts over 250,00 from around the country.with a number of attendees reporting symptoms consistent with the virus,
A Champions League match in Liverpool, versus Aletico Madrid on on the 11th March following government guidelines and advice is allowed to go ahead without restrictions,with 3000 travelling fans being allowed to travel from a place that was on partial lock-down and football matches were being played behind closed doors.
Unlike the Cheltenham festival organisers and 3 days before that horse racing event takes place, on the 13th March ,The premier league,EFL,WSL and FAW ignore government advise to “carry on as normal”and suspends the season,with players from Everton,West ham and Watford among those self isolating,whose manager, Nigel Pearson hits out at Boris Johnson for his “lack of leadership”
It’ll be another 10 days,23rd March (after a sunny weekend which saw crowds of people at beaches, parks, markets and other public space’s),with 6,650 confirmed cases and 335 deaths,before the government realises the data it had been using had a mistake in it and under estimated the amount of deaths (the mistake wasn’t seen sooner because unusually when the government revealed it’s herd immunity plan,the data on which the plan was based,wasn’t published) forcing Boris Johnson to introduce lock-down measures in an effort to slow the rate of infection.,
These action’s are called “over the top” by Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin who adds they should “stay open for the duration” as there’s is “hardly been any transmission” of infection in pubs.
The government refuses to criticise his remarks despite them totally flying in the face of new government advice and guidance.
The day after,the lock-down was announced on the 24th March 19 days from the date this article was published,with just 112 total confirmed cases, there were now 1,417 new cases and 87 deaths, taking the total confirmed cases to 8,077 and 422 deaths.
As i post this comment, 47 days after this article was posted there has been 4,301 new confirmed cases and 823 deaths reported today, taking the total of confirmed cases to 129,044 with 17,337 deaths.
i forgot to add,if comparing the UK figures with the other G20 countries it’s important to note that unlike the other nations,the UK figures are for hospital deaths only. there is still no published official figures for the number of deaths in care homes or at home. (or health workers)
Unfortunately those figures for the later,much like the data and scientific advice the UK Government is using to guide it’s response to Covid19 and on which our Governments herd immunity plan is reliant on, wont get published until the pandemic ends.