THE weekly number of new cases of Covid-19 in Winchester district has dropped to its lowest figure in nearly two months.
In the last seven days 97 new cases have been reported, down from 190 on the previous seven days.
The last time the weekly figure was below 100 was on December 15.
Meanwhile, the last Covid hotspot in Winchester has carried on cooling, according to new figures released today.
The Winchester West area, comprising Weeke and Fulflood, had 46 new cases in the seven days to Sunday February 7, the most recent day for which figures are available.
That is an increase of just five on the previous seven days, or 12 per cent, a lower increase week-on-week than previous days. But the rolling rate is still 461.5 per 100,000 people, one of the highest in the country.
The cases in Winchester West are primarily at Winchester Prison.
A new area is currently almost Covid-free. Winchester Stanmore has had fewer than three cases in the seven days to February 7 and is pictured as white on the Government Covid map, below.
Stanmore: white on the Government map
Previous 'white spots' have had a small rise in cases: Oliver's Battery and Hursley and South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever.
Across the rest of the Winchester district the numbers have carried on 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.
Winchester, position on February 7
Only in Winchester West (461.5 per 100,000) and Whiteley Knowle and Wickham (213.5 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 70 areas with a better record out of 315 areas, as of February 6. 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 153 cases reported, down 31, or 17 per cent, for a rolling rate of 122.5 per 100,000 people, the lowest this year. (See map above)
The ‘district’ covers more than just the ‘city’ and includes a chunk of Hampshire from Micheldever to Denmead, and Crawley to Ropley.
Across Hampshire there were 2,125 cases, down 761 or 26 per cent for a rolling 153.7. See map below:
Hampshire, position on February 7
Seven patients with coronavirus have died in hospitals across Hampshire, according to the latest NHS figures.
One person died at the Hampshire Hospitals trust (HHFT) that runs the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, moving the number of deaths there to 401. There is no available breakdown on in which hospital the deaths occur.
NHS England statistics published today show that two deaths were recorded at University Hospital Southampton, bringing the total to 428 since the start of the pandemic.
A further deaths were recorded at Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, bringing its total to 807. No deaths were recorded at Solent trust (8) or Southern (54).
One person died at the Hampshire Hospitals trust (HHFT) that runs the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, moving the number of deaths there to 401. There is no available breakdown about which hospital the deaths occur.
The county’s hospital coronavirus death toll now stands at 1,698.
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 was 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.
One person was was reported to have died of Covid in Winchester district today. The number of deaths from the pandemic in the district is 169, or 135.4 per 100,000.
Across the Hampshire County Council area 13 deaths were reported today, according to the Office for National Statistics. These are when deaths are reported not when they happened. It brings to 2,149 the death toll in the HCC area since last March, a rate of 155.4 per 100,000 people.
Across the county council area today 265 cases were reported bringing the total to 58,549, for a rate of 4,234 per 100,000. Some 2,125 have been reported in the seven days to February 7, down 761, or 26 per cent, for a rolling number of 153.7, below the current average for England.
The number of cases in the Winchester district since the start of the pandemic is 4,580, an infection rate of 3,668 per 100,000, well below the England average of 6,248.
Deaths reported in Southampton are now 293, up 2, or 116.0 per 100,000. In Portsmouth the figure is 324, up one, for 150.8 per 100,000. The Winchester figure is 169, or 135.4 per 100,000.
Meanwhile, four local primary schools have reported Covid cases in the last 10 days. They are: All Saints in Highcliffe, Otterbourne, Twyford and St John's in Waltham Chase.
Other Covid news:
Covid and safety concerns at one Winchester supermarket
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