The latest coronavirus figures from the Government have been branded “vague” after Bradford was recorded as having between ‘one and four’ cases.
The Department of Health and Social Care has published a table of the confirmed cases of coronavirus in England, listing 152 districts.
On Thursday, official figures revealed there were ten cases in the hugely-broad geographic region described as ‘Yorkshire and North East’, and yesterday that figure had risen to 13.
Officials in Barnsley confirmed two of those cases were in the South Yorkshire town.
But mystery surrounds the precise number of cases in the Bradford area, with the district among 44 areas classed as having ‘one to four’ cases.
Clarification from Public Health England suggests the boundary is used to reduce the risk of identifying local individuals.
It means the district may still just have one case, but the figures don’t discount the possibility that number could have quadrupled.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said he would assume Bradford had a ‘low number of cases’ but that he hadn’t received any further information since the district’s first case of coronavirus was confirmed in Ilkley.
Similarly, Anne Hawkesworth (The Independents, Ilkley) said an official source confirmed there were no more reported cases in her ward, besides the case involving a 50-year-old woman who recently returned from a family holiday in Italy.
Cllr Hawkesworth said the key message is ‘business as usual’ but urged people to take extra hygiene steps and keep washing their hands as a precaution. She said: “Bradford is a large district. It seems a bit vague. I can’t understand why they’ve said between one and four. I don’t know of any more locally to me. As far as I’m aware there hasn’t been any more.
“I did have a query with an officer that said there’s no more in Ilkley.”
It seems other politicians in the local area have also not received any reports of additional coronavirus cases. This suggests the situation has not changed since last weekend.
It was reported that Bradford Royal Infirmary and Airedale Hospital was prepared for the likelihood of more cases in the coming weeks.
Mr Davies said: “It’s not massive. Whether it’s the lowest end or highest end. It’s not like it’s one-100.
“All I know is there was the first case but I haven’t heard anything since then.”
Public Health England was approached for comment, but did not reply by the time the paper went to print.
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