THERE has been a continuing improvement in the Covid-19 situation in Ludlow and south Shropshire.

The figures for Shropshire as a whole in the week up to March 25 showed a further fall in the number of cases.

There were 92 new cases which was three fewer than in the previous week.

The seven-day infection rate for Shropshire was 28.5 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of the population. For the West Midlands it was 63.1 per 100,000 and for England it was 55.2 per 100,000.

Six hospital beds were occupied with people suffering from the virus and there had been one death.

Twenty-two of the cases involved people under the age of 30 and just two those aged 70 or above, were is north Shropshire, with the remainder split between south Shropshire and Shrewsbury and Atcham.

There is no data for areas with three or fewer cases and these included Ludlow, Cleobury Mortimer, Craven Arms and Church Stretton.

But the experts will be on the look out to see if this changes with the return of schools and the easing of restrictions.

Whilst there may be a rise in the number of infections it is hoped that with more than half of the population in Ludlow and south Shropshire having had a least a single dose of vaccine, any increase will not be reflected in hospitalisations and deaths.

This hope is also based on the fact that by this time everyone who is considered to be vulnerable because of their medical history or age will have been offered either a Pfizer or Oxford vaccine and some have had a second.

In some cases people have now started to receive the second jab which is due within 12 weeks of the first. Figures are suggesting that for most people the first dose provides a significant level of protection.

The government has said that by the autumn it hopes that every adult will have been offered a vaccination.

Vaccines are not being given to children although there are trials taking place to see if they would be effective.