Covid in Kirklees: are we in a better or worse situation than last Christmas?

The Omicron variant is spreading rapidly across the UK and the Prime Minister is said to be considering introducing tough new restrictions on socialising - a situation reminiscent of last Christmas.
Cabinet is set to meet this afternoon to discuss the need for further restrictions to limit the spread of the Omicron variantCabinet is set to meet this afternoon to discuss the need for further restrictions to limit the spread of the Omicron variant
Cabinet is set to meet this afternoon to discuss the need for further restrictions to limit the spread of the Omicron variant

However, the country is in a very different position than it was last December.

The vaccine rollout has had a huge impact on the number of deaths and hospitalisations, although cases are surging across the country, including in Kirklees.

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Based on analysis of UK Government data we reveal how the pandemic has changed in Kirklees over the last year.

The analysis covers the time period December 13, 2020 to December 13, 2021.

How many positive cases are there in Kirklees?

Case rates are dramatically higher in Kirklees than they were last December.

This year (on December 13) Kirklees recorded 214 new cases, 185 per cent more than on the same day last year when 75 new cases were reported.

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Case numbers are based on the number of new cases by specimen date.

How many more deaths have there been in Kirklees?

The vaccine rollout has seen deaths plummet in the last year but thousands of deaths have still been recorded across the UK, including many in Kirklees.

Last year Kirklees recorded a total of 530 deaths since the start of the pandemic. However, this year the number of total deaths has risen to 963 - 433 more people have died over that time period.

This is an 81.7 per cent rise in the total number of coronavirus deaths.

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The analysis is based on the number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test by date of death.

The death rate per 100,000 people has dropped though.

Last year 6.1 deaths were recorded per 100,000 people in Kirklees, while in 2021 the death rate is 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people.

Death rates are based on a seven day rolling average.

How many people are in hospital in Kirklees?

Hospital cases have also changed across Kirklees in the past year.

Last year on December 14 at Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes Dewsbury and District Hospital, there were 194 people in hospital and eight people on mechanical ventilation beds, while this year there are 48 hospital cases and three people on mechanical ventilation beds.

This represents a 75.3 per cent drop in hospital cases and a 63 per cent decrease in the number of people on mechanical ventilation beds.