THE Covid hotspot in Winchester has begun to cool down, according to new figures released today.
The Winchester West area, comprising Weeke and Fulflood, has seen a high number of cases that has now been narrowed down to an outbreak at the prison, as reported.
The area had reported 51 new cases in the seven days to Friday February 5, the most recent day for which figures are available.
That is an increase of eight on the previous seven days, or 19 per cent, and lower increase week-on-week than previous days. But the rolling rate is still 511.7 per 100,000 people, one of the highest in the country.
Covid outbreak at Winchester Prison. Read more here
Two areas are currently almost Covid-free. They are Oliver's Battery and Hursley, a hot spot last month, and South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever, where have been fewer than three cases, making them white on the interactive Government map.
Winchester West, and the near Covid-free areas of Oliver's Battery and Hursley and South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever
Across the rest of the Winchester district the numbers have been generally dropping steadily. The Winchester ‘district’ covers more than just the ‘city’ and includes a chunk of Hampshire from Micheldever to Denmead, and Crawley to Ropley.
Only in Winchester West (511.7 per 100,000) and Whiteley Knowle and Wickham (239.2 per 100,000) are infection rates above the England average.
Overall, the rates in the Winchester district have been dropping so sharply that there are only 66 areas with a better record out of 315 areas, as of February 4. At one stage recently there were only 35 areas better off, indicating that the recent decline has shallowed out or other places have Covid rates dropping more quickly.
The Winchester district rate was 166 cases reported, down 21, or 11 per cent, for a rolling rate of 132.9 per 100,000 people, the lowest this year. (See map below)
The Winchester ‘district’ covers more than just the ‘city’ and includes a chunk of Hampshire from Micheldever to Denmead, and Crawley to Ropley.
Winchester district rate February 10
Ten patients with coronavirus have died in hospitals across Hampshire, according to the latest NHS figures.
NHS England statistics published today show that three deaths were recorded at University Hospital Southampton, bringing the total to 421 since the start of the pandemic.
A further six deaths were recorded at Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, bringing its total to 801. No deaths were recorded at Solent trust (8) but there was one at Southern (54).
No deaths were recorded at the Hampshire Hospitals trust (HHFT) that runs the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, keeping the number of deaths there at 398. There is no available breakdown on in which hospital the deaths occur.
The county’s hospital coronavirus death toll now stands at 1,682.
The HHFT says its figures only include those who have a positive test for Covid-19 and not other viruses. Patients with a positive test may also being treated for other ailments.
The latest available figures from Monday show HHFT is caring for 151 Covid patients: 89 in Basingstoke, 62 at the RHCH and none in Andover. Last Monday the figures were 215, with 125 in Basingstoke, 89 at RHCH and one in Andover. The Winchester fall is 30 per cent.
No-one was was reported to have died of Covid in Winchester district today. The number of deaths from the pandemic in the district is 168, or 134.6 per 100,000.
Across the Hampshire County Council area 19 deaths were reported today, according to the Office for National Statistics. These are when deaths are reported not when they happened. It brings to 2,124 the death toll in the HCC area since last March, a rate of 153.6 per 100,000 people.
Across the county council area today 183 cases were reported bringing the total to 58,102, for a rate of 4,202 per 100,000. Some 2,283 have been reported in the seven days to February 5, down 825, or 26 per cent, for a rolling number of 165.3, just below the current average for England.
Hampshire Covid figures released Wednesday February 10
The number of cases reported in Winchester district in the last seven days to today, Wednesday February 10, remains lower than in the previous week. Today there were only 14 new cases, taking to 146 the number for the last seven days. The previous week had 170 cases.
The number of cases in the Winchester district since the start of the pandemic is 4,548, an infection rate of 3,642 per 100,000, well below the England average of 6,203.
Deaths reported in Southampton are now 289, up 4, or 114.4 per 100,000. In Portsmouth the figure is 321, up 3, for 149.4 per 100,000. The Winchester figure is 168, or 134.6 per 100,000.
Meanwhile, four local schools have reported Covid cases in the last 10 days. They are: All Saints in Highcliffe, Denmead, Otterbourne (temporarily closed) and St John's in Waltham Chase.
Other Covid News
Covid forces Otterbourne school to close
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