Public health experts launch 'deep dive' into town's Covid-19 infection rate

  • Watch a video report by ITV News Anglia's Rebecca Haworth

An investigation has been launched to establish why Bedford has one of the highest Covid-19 infection rates in the country.

Based on population statistics - there are nearly twice as many positive Covid-19 cases in Bedford compared to the rest of the region.

Experts are now carrying out a "deep dive" study to try and work out what's going on.

We need data: Cllr Louise Jackson Credit: ITV News Anglia

But Cllr Jackson said they needed Government data

"We've been asking for data from Public Health England and from the government for many weeks now and that hasn't been forthcoming so it's very difficult to tackle an infection which could really be anywhere...We need that data, all local authorities have been crying out for it, and it hasn't been there for us to be able to tackle the infection in the way that we'd like to."

Local GP, Dr Vijay Nayar, has seen many cases of coronavirus and is urging people in Bedford to adhere to the stricter lockdown measures.

Concerned: Dr Vijay Nayar

Public Health researcher Professor Gurch Randhawa, from the University of Bedfordshire said part of the reason for the high infection rate was down to not learning lessons from abroad:

Prof: UK Needed to heed global lessons
Twice as many positive Covid-19 cases in Bedford compared to the rest of the region

The results of the public health investigation will come out in the next few weeks.