Eight areas in Oldham see Covid-19 cases drop to single figures – but borough still has one of the region’s hotspots

Eight areas of Oldham have seen coronavirus case numbers drop to single figures – but the borough still has one of the hardest hit neighbourhoods in the region.

Government figures show that cases are falling in every area following the impact of the four week national lockdown in November.

There are now eight areas where weekly incidences of the virus have reduced down to single figures, and in some neighbourhoods there has been an almost 90pc decrease.

However overall case numbers still remain above average, with Oldham continuing to be near the top of the table for infection rates in Greater Manchester, second now only to Rochdale.

The latest data for the week to December 3 shows that the borough’s rate has fallen once again to 220.1 per 100,000 people, down 40%.

The government heat map of local cases is also showing positive gains against the virus.

Werneth and Busk, which were the biggest hotspots in the borough in the week to November 10 remain in top place.

Werneth has recorded 62 cases in the week to November 28, meaning it remains one of the hardest hit neighbourhoods in Greater Manchester, despite the lockdown measures.

However it has reduced by more than half – down from 127 cases – in the first week of November.

Similarly, Busk has dropped from 86 cases in the seven days to November 10, down to 44 in the latest weekly data.

Royton South West and Shaw and Crompton have both seen significant reductions from cases numbering in the forties, down to just five cases.

Failsworth South has reduced from 28 down to six, and Holt Lane End and Bardsley has dropped from 25 to seven.

Royton North had recorded 49 cases in the week to November 10 but in the week to November 28 saw just seven new incidences of the virus.

Clough and Shaw Side, which had been in the top four neighbourhoods for new cases, has seen a reduction of 87pc, from 66 down to eight.

Both Greenfield and Uppermill, and Wood End saw nine cases apiece in the week to November 28.

Meanwhile cases in Alexandra Park, a former hotspot where the virus seemed to be endemic have continued to fall away, down from more than a hundred in October to 31 in the latest weekly data.

In a video message to residents, Councillor Arooj Shah, cabinet member for Covid-19 recovery said she was ‘disappointed’ that the borough as part of Greater Manchester had been placed under Tier 3 restrictions following the end of the latest lockdown.

“This is despite our Covid infection rates coming down significantly over the last few weeks,” she said.

“But we really mustn’t let our anger or our emotion get in the way of doing the right thing.

“Especially now that we’re seeing light at the end of the tunnel with the news of the mass vaccine.

“As part of Greater Manchester we’re part of the planning to get this rolled out as soon as possible and here in Oldham our GPs are working together planning on how we can deliver this locally.

“This will begin with our elderly people, those who care for them, and including our brave health and social care professionals. The rest of us will follow in the months after.”

She added that in addition, they were planning to roll out more ‘targeted testing’ in Oldham.

“This will primarily focus on the groups of our population that are at high risk of contracting the virus but are not showing the symptoms, so asymptomatic people,” Coun Shah said.

“And that’s because these tests do not have to be sent off to laboratories to be analysed so the results are available a lot quicker.”

The latest weekly cases for the borough, broken up into Middle layer Super Output Areas (MSOA) which are sorted by population:

Alexandra Park – 31
Alt – 16
Busk – 44
Chadderton Central – 26
Chadderton North – 22
Chadderton South East – 17
Chadderton South West – 13
Clough and Shaw Side – 8
Derker – 19
Diggle, Delph and Denshaw – 12
Failsworth East – 17
Failsworth South – 6
Failsworth West – 12
Greenfield and Uppermill – 9
Hathershaw – 17
Holt Lane End and Bardsley – 7
Lees and Hey – 25
Lime Side and Garden Suburb – 14
Moorside and Sholver – 21
New Delph, Dobcross and Austerlands – 10
Oldham Town North – 12
Oldham Town South – 20
Royton East and Cowlishaw – 10
Royton North – 7
Royton South West – 5
Salem – 22
Shaw and Crompton – 5
Springhead and Grasscroft – 13
Waterhead – 19
Werneth – 62
Wood End – 9

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