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Known cases near 4,000 - but no indication of new legal measures

Known cases near 4,000 - but no indication of new legal measures

Wednesday 23 March 2022

Known cases near 4,000 - but no indication of new legal measures

Wednesday 23 March 2022


Nearly 3,000 new cases of covid-19 were reported in the Bailiwick in the past week and the latest number of known cases is 3,854 - far surpassing the previous record number recorded at any one time.

Health chiefs freely acknowledge that actual infections are likely to be much higher. Last week, when there were around 2,500 known cases, the Medical Officer of Health, Dr Nicola Brink, said she would not have been surprised if actual infections were double the number recorded.

At that time - when there were more than 1,000 fewer known cases than there are now - Dr Brink and the President of the Policy & Resources Committee, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, appealed to the public to redouble efforts to contain infections as essential services came under significant pressure, including because of staff absence.

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Pictured: The updated case figures were released by the States yesterday.

On Thursday last week, face coverings were once again made mandatory for staff in all States' schools and for students in secondary schools and further education and children are back in classroom bubbles where appropriate.

In Jersey, where the rate of known cases per thousand people is now substantially lower than in Guernsey, the legal requirement for people with covid-19 to isolate has been extended until the end of April.

However, Express understands that senior politicians in Guernsey currently have no intention of reintroducing emergency legislation to require people with covid-19 to isolate or comply with any other restrictions on freedom.

They are cautiously encouraged by a slight fall in the rolling seven-day average of new cases and hope that last week's public appeal for people to take more care to avoid spreading the virus may be beginning to show early signs of success.

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Pictured: Children account for a disproportionately high number of infections in the current wave. 

The number of people in hospital with the virus has also increased in the past week - from nine to 15. 

The latest figures underlined the burden of infection currently falling on young people. In the past week alone, nearly one in 10 children aged nine and under are known to have tested positive for covid-19.

READ MORE...

Services under pressure as covid cases reach new high of 2,500+

Masks and bubbles back in schools

Hospital restrictions imposed following rise in covid cases

Fresh call for islanders to limit the transmission of covid

Mum relaunches appeal to remove covid restrictions in schools

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