Picture : John Devlin. 16/04/2020. GLASGOW. Gartnavel General Hospital. Stock shot of Covid-19 testing centre. Nurse manager, Jean Stevenson at the centre. Less than half UK's Covid-19 testing capacity being used, figures show. No 10 suggests NHS should refer more staff for tests as 15,994 carried out in 24 hours. No 10 has said the country now has the capacity to test more than 35,000 hospital patients, NHS staff and care workers a day for coronavirus but questions are mounting about why less than half of those tests are currently being carried out. While the government is aiming for 100,000 tests a day, just 15,994 tests were carried out in the 24 hours before 9am on Wednesday. This is despite capacity at NHS and Public Health England laboratories of 20,771 tests and 14,300 at 26 privately operated drive-through sites across the country. 'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled Read more No 10 suggested the NHS needed to refer more staff for testing but also said it was looking at widening the eligibility for testing. “We are very clear that we want the NHS to be making use of any additional capacity which exists,” a Downing Street spokesman said. “We have more to do in relation to testing. We need to reach 100,000 tests by the end of the month and that is what we are working hard on. “Testing is going to be hugely important to finding the key to unlocking the way out of this pandemic and we need to keep working hard at it.” The government had targeted a goal of ramping up testing at NHS and PHE laboratories to 25,000 a day by the middle of April. It appears now to have met that capacity with the help of private drive-through sites, despite Matt Hancock, the health secretary, denying that target at Wednesday’s press conference. Advertisement However, it is still a long way from actually completing the number of tests that it has the capacity to process. Experts have warned that mass testinplaceholder image
Picture : John Devlin. 16/04/2020. GLASGOW. Gartnavel General Hospital. Stock shot of Covid-19 testing centre. Nurse manager, Jean Stevenson at the centre. Less than half UK's Covid-19 testing capacity being used, figures show. No 10 suggests NHS should refer more staff for tests as 15,994 carried out in 24 hours. No 10 has said the country now has the capacity to test more than 35,000 hospital patients, NHS staff and care workers a day for coronavirus but questions are mounting about why less than half of those tests are currently being carried out. While the government is aiming for 100,000 tests a day, just 15,994 tests were carried out in the 24 hours before 9am on Wednesday. This is despite capacity at NHS and Public Health England laboratories of 20,771 tests and 14,300 at 26 privately operated drive-through sites across the country. 'Absolutely wrong': how UK's coronavirus test strategy unravelled Read more No 10 suggested the NHS needed to refer more staff for testing but also said it was looking at widening the eligibility for testing. “We are very clear that we want the NHS to be making use of any additional capacity which exists,” a Downing Street spokesman said. “We have more to do in relation to testing. We need to reach 100,000 tests by the end of the month and that is what we are working hard on. “Testing is going to be hugely important to finding the key to unlocking the way out of this pandemic and we need to keep working hard at it.” The government had targeted a goal of ramping up testing at NHS and PHE laboratories to 25,000 a day by the middle of April. It appears now to have met that capacity with the help of private drive-through sites, despite Matt Hancock, the health secretary, denying that target at Wednesday’s press conference. Advertisement However, it is still a long way from actually completing the number of tests that it has the capacity to process. Experts have warned that mass testin

As the 21 June ‘unlocking’ is delayed here are the Doncaster  areas where Covid infections rose in the first week of June

By David Kessen
Published 14th Jun 2021, 15:39 BST
Updated 14th Jun 2021, 15:45 BST

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce a delay to the easing of lockdown restrictions in England tonight.

It is expected that coronavirus restrictions will stay in place for another four weeks after the initial 21 June ‘unlocking’ date.

Although case rates have predominantly fallen across the country, there are still some areas where coronavirus cases are rising.

The latest figures show 16 out of 39 saw an increase in infections in the latest seven-day period, the first week of June.

Now as the country looks set to stay with some restrictions for another month, we reveal which Doncaster neighbourhoods saw the biggest rise in case rates per 100,000 people between 01 and 8 June.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.

Balby Carr has seen rates of positive Covid cases rise from zero to 64.2

9. Balby Carr

Balby Carr has seen rates of positive Covid cases rise from zero to 64.2 Photo: Google

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Armthorpe North has seen rates of positive Covid cases rise from zero to 63.6.

10. Armthorpe North

Armthorpe North has seen rates of positive Covid cases rise from zero to 63.6. Photo: Google

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Belle Vue & Town Fields has seen rates of positive Covid cases from zero to 58.1

11. Belle Vue & Town

Belle Vue & Town Fields has seen rates of positive Covid cases from zero to 58.1 Photo: Google

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Armthorpe South has seen rates of positive Covid cases rise from zero to 56.7

12. Armthorpe South

Armthorpe South has seen rates of positive Covid cases rise from zero to 56.7 Photo: Google

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