THERE was a 34 per cent decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases in Shropshire in the last seven days compared to the previous week.

During the seven-day period between March 5-11 there were 107 new cases reported, a decrease of 54 cases (34 per cent) compared to the previous week.

Of these cases, 47 per cent were in north Shropshire, with 34 per cent the Shrewsbury & Atcham area and 19 per cent in south Shropshire.

The seven-day infection rate for Shropshire was 33.1 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 of the population – for the West Midlands it was 66.6 per 100,000 and for England it was 58.3 per 100,000.

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At the Royal Shrewsbury and Princess Royal Hospitals, 27 hospital beds were occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Of these, 32 cases relate to people under the age of 30 with five related to people aged over 70.

Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council's director of public health, said: "The news about the continued falling number of infections, coupled with the rising number of people getting their vaccinations, is rightly giving us all a sense of optimism after what has been a challenging few months.

"I liken our current situation to being 1-0 up in a football match. We are comfortable and in control – the last thing we want to do now is get complacent and let our hard-fought lead slip.

"Everyone has worked so hard to get us to this point. I don't want to dampen anyone's optimism, but we really need everybody to continue to be sensible at this time.

"More than 200,000 people have now received their vaccinations locally, but we cannot get complacent or let our guard down.

"People who have had a vaccine may still carry coronavirus and unintentionally pass it on to friends, family or work colleagues, so it is crucial that we continue to follow all measures to control the spread of the virus.

"We must all continue to follow the latest advice and guidance about regular handwashing, wearing a face covering, maintaining social distancing, and only going out if essential.

"In the past, we have seen how quickly cases can rise once restrictions are eased.

"If we want to move back to some 'normality' as quickly as possible, it is vital that everyone follows the rules.

"People should still self-isolate if they have been in contact with anyone with Covid-19 symptoms or have tested positive, even if they have had a vaccine themselves.

"It is also vital that people continue to take the opportunity to get regular tests.

"Routine testing means we can monitor the spread of the disease and spot any new virus variants before they become more prevalent in our communities.

"This is particularly important in workplaces, but matters in the wider community too. If people aren't getting tested, we cannot identify new outbreaks or patterns, so we must all play our part."