New Covid cases soar nationally- but Milton Keynes remains stable

As the national infection rate creeps up towards 100, MK is still resisting a potential third wave.

Over the past 24 hours, just 21 new cases have been confirmed in the borough. There have been no Covid-linked deaths and just one Covid patient remains at MK hospital.

Nationally, figures rose to 16,135 today, the highest for months, and there have been 19 more deaths recorded.

This has brought the seven-day UK infection rate - the number of cases per 100,000 people - up to 97.5. In comparison, the Milton Keynes rate is 67.2.

Though cases have undoubtedly increased in MK, the increase has been nowhere near as rapid as other areas - particularly our neighbouring town of Bedford, where the infection rate today stands at 120.6.

Meanwhile the Covid vaccination programme is currently whizzing through out younger population. Earlier this week it was announced that more than a quarter of a million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the borough in just six months.

These vaccinations have taken place at Saxon Court's Mass Vaccination Centre, the GP centres and the pharmacy centre at The Open University.

.Leader of Milton Keynes Council, Cllr Pete Marland praised the progress, saying: “Partners have been pulling out every stop to work together on the NHS vaccination programme."