https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk

Claimed infections up to 2023-09-16

Midlands (0.1%) : 3,611,404
South East (0.1%) : 3,169,426
London (0.1%) : 2,940,236
North East (0.1%) : 2,810,748
North West (0.1%) : 2,613,556
East England (0.1%) : 2,128,135
South West (0.1%) : 1,862,450

UK Infected (0.1%) : 22,662,748 (+13,307)
UK Admitted (0.3%) : 1,063,846 (+3,303)
UK Deaths (0.1%) : 226,611 (+180), 25 per day

US Infected (0.1%) : 108,421,826 (+133,765)
US Deaths (0.1%) : 1,175,163 (+593), 84 per day

Yay! Infections, hospitalisations and deaths all rising in the UK and US.

That percentages are against 'total so far' means they will always be low, will always give a very distorted impression of how things are changing. As the new wave hits us I guess it's time to find a better means of representing how that wave is hitting us.

Number killed since "Zero Deaths" Day : 98,829

Number killed since "Omicron Peak" : 77,670

On Sat, 16 Sep 2023 14:16:18 +0100
The Happy Hippy <the.happy.hippy.nntp@ntlworld.invalid> wrote:

> That percentages are against 'total so far' means they will always be
> low, will always give a very distorted impression of how things are
> changing. As the new wave hits us I guess it's time to find a better
> means of representing how that wave is hitting us.

Strap in and buckle up. This shows this week's change in terms of what change was the week before ...

Midlands (+290%) : 3,611,404
South East (+333%) : 3,169,426
London (+263%) : 2,940,236
North East (+284%) : 2,810,748
North West (+308%) : 2,613,556
East England (+307%) : 2,128,135
South West (+274%) : 1,862,450

UK Infected (-98%) : 22,662,748 (+13,307)
UK Admitted (+29%) : 1,063,846 (+3,303)
UK Deaths (-24%) : 226,611 (+180), 25 per day

And that's likely why TWP has covid again. About three times more people got infected last week than the week before that, and that seems to have been the pattern for a few weeks now.

Ignore that -98% reduction in headline "UK Infected"; that was the government fiddling the numbers a couple of weeks ago. Answers on a postcard as to why they might have chosen to do that just as the new wave strikes.

With some areas being hit harder than others it appears we could be looking at a change in the rankings pretty soon. Looks like the South East is currently being hit hardest and could claim number one status. The North East and North West look set to climb above London, who would drop to fifth place.

So, finally, some excitement in tracking covid - Come on the New Wave !

On Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:39:29 +0100
The Happy Hippy <the.happy.hippy.nntp@ntlworld.invalid> wrote:

> And that's likely why TWP has covid again. About three times more
> people got infected last week than the week before that

Actually, worse than that. A +300% increase means the numbers are four times what they were, almost four an a half times in the South East.

I have previously wrestled with whether showing 'change from last' or 'proportion of last' is better. I lean against proportion because flat-lining, being same as last, shows as 100% whereas +0% more clearly shows no change, plus and minus reflect whether getting worse or better.

But, as here, it's easy to see an increase as less significant than it is; as three times worse rather than the four times worse we have.

I guess one simply has to remember it's worse than it looks. Which shouldn't be hard because it's been that way with government figures for the last two years.

Anyway, as Annie Lennox nearly put it; here comes the wave again. Hurrah for covid.