Between the 25th of June and the 1st of July 2022 there were 106 new positive Covid cases recorded in Orkney. The islands have the highest rate of infection in Scotland at 473.2 (per 100,000 population) compared to Scotland at 332.3 (per 100,000 population)
The cumulative total of Covid cases in Orkney now stands at 5,901.
Water monitoring of Kirkwall sewage system continues to show high rates of positivity. This is another tool in measuring the presence of Covid-19 in the community. This is important considering how little testing is now being done and no contact tracing taking place.
The stats for Scotland published on the PHS website on the 6th of July 2022 are as follows:
These stats are now only published weekly as are the Covid related deaths which will be available tomorrow, 7th July.
ONS also provide a weekly update for the whole of the UK. Here is the latest: UK #Covid Cases Continue to Rise
There have been 177,977 Covid related deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test in the UK since the pandemic started. And 197,288 where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.
Services are being seriously affected by the high rate of Covid in the community and the NHS is under increasing pressure with so many people having to be admitted into hospital because of the virus.
- get your vaccine when offered to ensure you are fully protected
- stay at home if you’re unwell with symptoms or have a fever
- open windows when socialising indoors
- wear a face covering in indoor public places and on public transport
- wash your hands to protect yourself
Care for yourself and others to help slow down the spread of the virus and reduce pressure on our health services.
Categories: Local News
This is mid-summer… and numbers are going up. Chances are certainly improving for anyone, ending up in hospital for any other medical issue (broken bones, heart attack, childbirth…) to acquire Covid-19 in hospital. It was a fatal mistake to abandon mask mandates in hospital, it puts patient safety at risk. ‘A substantive proportion of patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital have acquired SARS-CoV-2 in hospital.’ https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/13961/changes-to-the-severity-of-covid-19-report.pdf
Contrary to common perception, hospitals do not seem to be safe places at the moment when it comes to Covid transmission prevention… https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12968
I also do not trust the judgment of the NHS to clearly identify whether in fatal outcomes Covid was “only” a contributory factor but perhaps not the direct cause of death. Specialists from across many disciplines would be required for such identification. Also, it makes no difference to the patient if they suffer – or in a worst case perish – because their health issue was made worse by an in the hospital acquired Covid infection.
‘Over the course of the pandemic, over a fifth of cases of hospital onset COVID-19 (probable
and definite) died within 28 days of their COVID-19 episode date (22.3%). Cases who are in
the probable and definite category have, by the design of the case definition, been in
hospital for 8 days or more for another reason prior to developing COVID-19. This is
indicative of underlying medical conditions which will also be a risk factor for mortality, and
some of these patients may have died irrespective of COVID-19.’ https://publichealthscotland.scot/media/13279/2022-06-01-covid19-hospitalonset-mortality-mar2020-mar2022-report.pdf
Well, but perhaps some might have had a chance to survive, despite their ‘underlying’ condition… well, if they had not additionally been infected… possibly by healthcare staff with a cavalier approach to masks?
When it comes to case definitions, isn’t it the classical chicken and egg question? Did the patient die because of a broken leg or because of a blood clot which would not have developed had he not been hospitalised? Or, did the patient die because they had suffered a heart attack or was it the additional nosocomial Covid infection which was compromising their chances for a full recovery?
Meanwhile… new variants (again) on the horizon and I do not mean BA.4 or 5 because they are already experiencing competition (https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2022/07/ba45-covid-19-variants-now-dominant-all-us-regions)… we haven’t even managed to catch up with adapting vaccines for the current variants… apparently we remain alsways one step behind the virus… and politely leave the door ajar for it by allowing far too high infection rates.
And it’s not just Covid where we follow a risky path:
‘As of July 2022, the current outbreak clade of monkeypox is no longer classified as a high consequence infectious disease (HCID), following review by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) and agreement by the UK 4 nations public health agencies.’ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/monkeypox-cases-confirmed-in-england-latest-updates
Yet again, this could be premature.
At the same time, the WHO is about to convene another emergency meeting in due course: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-more-than-6000-monkeypox-cases-reported-another-emergency-meeting-set-2022-07-06/
This is no longer fun…
Thank you S. Davidson for keeping the flag flying re. the importance of mask-wearing.
I’ll remind folk of this…..
https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/03/05/in-praise-of-continuing-to-wear-a-mask/
…if Fiona will post this comment.
As I no longer contribute to TON that’s one less voice, and, as you say, the situation is worse now than when I wrote that article.