THERE was a fall in the number of Covid-19 cases in Ludlow during the latest period for which figures are available.

Government statistics show 31 cases in the town, a fall of 13 over the previous week that represented a drop of nearly 30 per cent.

The infection rate of 282 cases per 100,000 population is also well down on where it was a few weeks ago.

However, the picture was much less good in Cleobury Mortimer where there were 42 cases, a rise of 17 or nearly 70 per cent on the previous week.

The figures for the number of cases in Craven Arms was exactly the same as for Cleobury Mortimer.

In Church Stretton there were 12 cases, a fall of eight.

But in Bishops Castle there was a 100 per cent increase with 20 cases of Covid-19.

In Shropshire as a whole there was a 15 per cent reduction in the number of cases at 1,216 and an infection rate of 387.8 for every 100,000 of population.

During the week in question 37 hospital beds in the county were occupied by people with Covid-19 and five deaths of people with a diagnosis of the virus.

“Although the figures for 22-28 October show another decrease in positive cases, we are already starting to see numbers increase again, and the number of people who are falling seriously ill and are needing hospital treatment is worrying,” said Rachel Robinson, Shrospshire’s director of public health.

More recent data shows a huge increase in people at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals with Covid-19. The ongoing effects of the pandemic are being felt in our local hospitals.