FOR the second time in a week, a record number of positive tests for coronavirus has been undertaken in Wokingham borough.
The latest figures, published on Sunday, December 20 by Public Health in Berkshire, show that there were 113 cases.
This surpasses the total on Thursday, December 17, where 110 cases were reported.
It follows the upward trend that caused the borough, along with other parts of the south east, to be placed into a new Tier 4 category and see the cancellation of five days relaxation over Christmas.
The grim figures mean that there have now been 3,141 confirmed cases in the borough and the weekly rate is now 260.6 people per 100,000, up from 246.6 yesterday.
A similar story is told across Berkshire.
Reading has reported 146 new cases, and a rate of 336.3 per 100,000 people.
Bracknell Forest reported 108 cases, and a rate of 319.1 per 100,000 people.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead had 116 cases, and a rate per 100,000 people is lower at 208.
In England, 32,155 cases were reported today, bringing the total number of people who had had Coronavirus in the country to 1,743,893.
Earlier today, Labour leader blasted Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the way in which he had made the decision to create a new Tier 4 level, calling the decision to cancel the planned Christmas relaxation of rules “heart-breaking”.
“Sadly, the measures the Government announced yesterday are necessary and we support them,” he said.
“But there is no getting away from the fact – and what angers people the most and frustrates me the most is that – yet again – the Prime Minister waited until the eleventh hour to take this decision.
“It was blatantly obvious last week that the Prime Minister’s plan for a free-for-all over Christmas was a risk too far. And yet, rather listening to concerns and taking them seriously the Prime Minister did what he always does: dismissed the challenge, ruffled his hair and made a flippant comment.”
Mr Starmer also said that the Prime Minister claim about the new strain of virus only just coming to light didn’t “stand up to scrutiny”, saying it had been spotted in September and that by not taking action sooner, the Prime Minister had undertaken “an act of gross negligence”.
“The alarms bells have been ringing for weeks, but the Prime Minister chose to ignore them.
“A virus of this sort demands early action. Decisive action. A clear plan and a clear message. Yet we have had none of that.”
And Wokingham MP Sir John Redwood has called for Parliament to be recalled so it could debate the new Tier structure and any possible alternatives.
