Hopeful News in Fall of Confirmed Local Covid-19 Infections

Published on: 19 May, 2020
Updated on: 20 May, 2020

The number of new Covid-19 infections has continued to fall in Guildford and in Surrey.

Only five new confirmed infections were recorded in Guildford Borough the past week compared with 14 the week before. The new infections bring the total to 362, representing 245 per 100,000 of the population.

Statistics for new infections in Guildford Borough have only been available from the week ending May 11.

But these are only confirmed infections and experts believe there are many cases unconfirmed either because testing was not available or because symptoms were mild or non-existent.

The level of general infection is unlikely to be known until there is wide-scale anti-body testing, which should show whether an individual has been exposed to the virus and their immune system reacted. The UK is negotiating with a Swiss supplier to purchase millions of such test kits.

Whether results from the new testing centre in the Onslow Park & Ride site are included in the reported figures is not known. Surrey County Council has failed to answer questions. One county councillor complained to The Guildford Dragon that he too had been unable to find out information about the centre and its operation.

The number of Covid related deaths in the Royal Surrey County Hospital was, once again, six this week compared with a peak of 21 in the week ending April 26. The decrease is in line with a general fall in the number of deaths recorded nationally.

More local Covid-19 statistics can be found here. From now, they will be updated weekly, each Monday.