Fir Vale has suffered the most deaths caused by COVID-19 in Sheffield.
Fir Vale has witnessed twice as many deaths caused by coronavirus than any other Sheffield area, the Government revealed today.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released data which shows that Fir Vale has had 18 confirmed deaths from March 1 to April 17.
This means more than a half of the 35 deaths which occurred in the area during this time frame were caused by the virus.
The Sheffield suburb is followed by Norton and Norton Lees, and Woodhouse Mill with nine deaths each.
The following graphic shows the wards with the most deaths:
Grace Collins, 51, a Sheffield mother who tutors in Fir Vale, believes the high number of deaths in the area is due to the lack of self-isolation from the community.
Mrs Collins said: “The community is really the centre of lives. From shopping to eating, it is far harder to social distance than me on Gleadless Valley where I shop online and can easily find support without leaving my house.”
Almost every day, Sheffield North East NHP announces they have made an arrest or fined someone in Fir Vale for breach of self-isolation.
However, South Yorkshire Police says they will not reveal the exact number of fixed penalty notices in the area.
Sheffield Needs a Pay Rise says the number of deaths “shines a harsh light on inequality in Sheffield.”
However, it is still not clear why this suburb area has the highest number of deaths.
Sheffield now has 2,132 positive cases, being the eighth upper tier local authority outside of London with the most cases in the UK.
Yet, Sheffield is not one with the most deaths caused by COVID-19, counting with 164 deaths until April 17, according to the ONS data.
ONS also revealed that, per 100,000 people, 33 people have died in Sheffield, whereas in Birmingham 78 people have died, in Manchester, 60, and in Liverpool, 82.