MP slams coronavirus data access as Bradford faces lockdown

Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East, said local public health officials were being ‘denied the tools they need’ to fight the virus.

As it emerged that the district has the second highest rate of infection per 100,000 people after Leicester fears grew that a local lockdown is just days away.

Leicester, which went back into strict lockdown this week, was top with 140.2 cases per 100,000 of the general population from positive swab tests in the week to June 21 compared to Bradford’s 69.4.

Kirklees was 10th on the Public Health England list with 30.3 cases per 100,000. Health officials there reported an outbreak at a bed factory in Batley yesterday. There were a "small number" of positive cases at the site.

Mr Hussain said: “I am deeply concerned by Bradford’s high number of positive tests and it just shows how important it is to continue to abide by the advice issued by public health experts, which is why I have been clear and vocal that as lockdown restrictions are eased by the Government, safety must remain a priority and cannot be compromised.

“Throughout the coronavirus crisis I have been in frequent contact with Bradford Council and local public health officials, and it is clear that their response is being massively hindered, as it was in Leicester, by the Government and Public Health England who seem determined to deny local authorities the tools that they need.

“Since the crisis began, the test data that Bradford Council has received from the Government has been woefully inconsistent with information sometimes not received for days, costing public health officials vital time to respond.

“Indeed, it was only on Monday that the Health Secretary granted them access to a database of all positive tests, despite concerns having been raised weeks prior.

“Whilst I understand that Bradford Council now has access to this crucial data, restrictions imposed by the Government actually prevent them from sharing the number of positive tests with local voluntary organisations assisting in the response, or even with the NHS in Bradford, creating an absurd position where they are unable to act on the information that they do receive.

“In a city as diverse as Bradford with our high levels of deprivation, both of which have been proven to be risk factors in the spread and mortality of Coronavirus, we also have to ask why the Government have not taken a keener interest and responsibility, and why they failed to respond to Bradford Council’s concerns when they were raised, particularly when they knew of the prevalence of these risk factors.

“The Government’s failure to provide local authorities with the data to do their job in keeping people safe has put public health at risk, and I have written to the Health Secretary, urging him to immediately make available comprehensive and reliable information to Bradford Council, to allow them to share this information with necessary organisations, and to answer why it was not made available until now.”

Leader of the Council, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe said: “We know that figures from Public Health England show Bradford with a high number of infections along with a number of other northern authorities, although we are some way behind Leicester.

“The number of people testing positive for the virus is still too high and we continue to work hard with all our partners to prevent infection spreading as no one wants a second lockdown.

“As we take more and more steps towards returning to a more normal life, it’s easy to believe that Covid-19 is less of a threat to our health and the health of our family and friends. This is simply not the case.

“We urge all residents to continue to follow the guidelines around staying at home as much as possible, social distancing, washing hands frequently and ensuring that they self-isolate and get tested if they, or anyone in their household, develop any symptoms.

“We must all stay vigilant, we don’t want to see a second spike of cases that inevitably would mean more deaths. Don’t be conned into thinking it’s all OK now, it’s not.”

Professor John Wright says he was “really worried” about the effects of the planned easing of lockdown in Bradford this weekend on infection rates.

The Bradford Royal Infirmary doctor and leading epidemiologist said the chances of the district going back into strict lockdown are high.

He said: “It’s a very real possibility. We are at high risk. It’s a particularly critical time to ease lockdown."

“We should use our own judgment as coronavirus is circulating at higher levels than elsewhere.”

But he thought that “people are wiser than we think” and after coming up with their own forms of lockdown he is hopeful that they will take precautions again.

He added: “I am really worried about Saturday, we have to adapt measures to our own place.

“In Bradford we have to be cautious otherwise we will be another Leicester and we don’t want to be another Leicester.”

He said he had not heard whether a U-turn on lockdown for the district was imminent “but that’s not to say it’s not coming”.

“Everybody should be on red alert.”

He said as with other area Bradford’s coronavirus figures had fallen in recent weeks but had now plateaued in terms of hospital admissions and numbers in the intensive care unit.

He added: “There are going to be hotspots and Bradford is one.

“It may seem as it it’s all over but it’s not.”

He called on the Bradford public to maintain their Covid-19 precautions such as social distancing and hand-washing.

“The virus is still out there. Keep vigilant, keep your masks on and look after each other.”

The message was repeated by Shaun Milburn, deputy director of operations at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

He said that when the data is compared between Bradford the rest of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate region, it was clear that the number of cases in Bradford had not declined as much.

He said of 140 hospital inpatients with Covid-19 across the region, 56 of them (40%) were in Bradford district’s six hospitals. Of the 18 patients in ICU, more than half, 10, were in Bradford. And of the numbers being diagnosed with Covid-19 daily, again about half, roughly seven compared to about 15, were in Bradford.

He said: “We’re not the biggest hospital in the region but we’re the biggest ‘biter’ in the region.”

He said unlike BRI, Leeds General Infirmary had closed its Covid ward and moved people into side rooms on Tuesday.

“The latest rates of infection in Leicester are 16-17% in the community. In Bradford it’s 9%.”

He added that compared to April, a much younger cohort with Covid-19 is now coming through. “They are not dying, they are tending to get treatment and recover. Half are from a South Asian background.”

He said that the number of Covid-19 patients had impacted on other areas of the hospital but now BRI is asking people if they are critically-ill not to stay away.

“Since Covid-19 eased, non-Covid admissions have risen. We are now dealing with two sets of patients.”

He said the hospital were putting contingency plans in place for the planned easing of lockdown this Saturday.

He said the plans would be similar to a winter/Christmas scenario with extra staff for A&E.

But he was “keeping his fingers crossed” they would not be needed.