Telford mum shares Covid warning as cases rise sharply in Midlands

Sharn, from Telford, is recovering in hospital after noticing Covid symptoms after Christmas

A mum is urging people to take Covid-19 advice seriously as she receives hospital treatment for it amid rising figures in the West Midlands.

Sharn, from Telford, said she had never felt "so scared and alone" after she developed the symptoms.

Telford and Wrekin saw a 95% rise in Covid-19 cases in the week ending 7 January, reaching a total of 933.

Cases have also nearly doubled in Shropshire and Worcester with Christmas mixing cited as the likely cause.

Sharn, 34, said she felt "perfectly well" on Boxing Day after spending Christmas with her daughters and got a test after developing a headache the following day.

"I stayed home alone for seven days trying to beat it but Covid had other ideas," she said in a post shared by Telford and Wrekin Council.

She is still in hospital but said she is "fortunately getting stronger every day so will be home soon" and urged people to "take the virus seriously".

• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands

• UK coronavirus cases up by 46,169

Coronavirus cases are rising fast across the country, driven by a new variant of the virus thought to be more easily transmissible.

Worcester saw the ninth biggest weekly rise in cases in England, rising from 400 to 747 - a jump of more than 90%.

There have now been more than three million confirmed cases in the UK and over 81,000 people have died.

Telford and Wrekin saw a 95% rise in Covid-19 cases in the week ending 6 January

Although the increase in cases is not limited to the West Midlands, the region's figures were highlighted as "worrying" in the latest data from Public Health England (PHE) released on Monday.

Shropshire reported almost 1,500 new cases in the week ending 7 January and the county's director of public health, Rachel Robinson, said half of those are linked to household contacts which she said was "particularly worrying".

"We believe this is due to the strength of the new variant, coupled with households mixing over the festive period," she added, urging people to stay at home "unless it is absolutely necessary".

The BBC has contacted public health officials at Worcester and Telford and Wrekin councils for comment.

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