WARRINGTON'S alarming surge in coronavirus cases has been blamed on health inequalities rather than the town ‘misbehaving’.

Thara Raj, the council’s director of public health, updated councillors on the situation during the virtual health scrutiny committee meeting on Monday.

She highlighted the borough currently has an infection rate topping 150 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

READ >> How Warrington's rate of new coronavirus cases compares with rest of England

Ms Raj said: “If you look at the picture of age groups, it’s no longer the 20 to 39 year olds that are being affected, it’s the older age groups as well and that is of absolute concern.

“In terms of what’s happening in Warrington, you could say that we are actually in absolute numbers in a slightly worse position than we were during the March-April time.”

The public health chief warned although hospitalisations and deaths have not reached that level, with the virus spreading fast she fears ‘it’s a matter of time unfortunately’.

“We have identified transmission from the hospitality sector but not exclusively from the hospitality sector,” she said.

Warrington Guardian:

Thara Raj

Ms Raj highlighted there have been some confirmed cases in schools and took the opportunity to praise businesses for their efforts.

She said: “Businesses are managing a very, very difficult situation – they have been doing it extremely well.

“They have put their risk assessments together, they are being as Covid-secure as they can within this current climate.

“We are working with them to manage a number of outbreaks.

“In terms of the retail sector, there have been a small number of outbreaks.”

Ms Raj also said the picture is ‘evolving’ and that ‘all of us need to step up’.

With the town under strict new measures to curb the spread of the virus, committee member Cllr Ian Marks (LD – Lymm North and Thelwall), a former council leader, expressed concerns about the ‘grey areas’ causing confusion and called for clarity.

Ms Raj said she agrees the situation is confusing and pointed to the growing question and answer section on the council’s website to help residents.

Committee chair Cllr Paul Warburton (LAB – Chapelford and Old Hall) asked Ms Raj if she thinks the restrictions are being observed by residents.

She told him she thinks the town is no different to any other area.

Ms Raj said she believes people in the town respect each other, understand what they can and can’t do and are doing their ‘level best’.

She added: “I think there are some exceptions but when there are exceptions usually somebody will tell them and that spirit of Warringtonness, I think, is really helpful and it’ll get us through, rather than reporting people to the police there seems to be a sort of a nudgeness about Warrington that I think will be helpful.

“But, unfortunately, occasionally people do get a bit out of order, get a bit carried away and we have identified some hotspots and are working closely with different partners to address those hotspots, where we’ve observed it’s been a bit more difficult to socially distance and all of that.

“But I just wanted to say we’re not in this position, I don’t believe, because Warrington can’t behave ourselves – this is a question of inequalities and that’s the picture I’m seeing across the north east and the north west.

“It isn’t because we don’t know how to behave or we’re not following social distancing or the rules, I see this as a matter of inequalities that are exacerbated.

“I think there is generally a level of inequality across the north of England and when an issue like Covid comes it exacerbates those inequalities.”