THE current national lockdown is having the desired effect in Winchester, with most areas seeing infection rates falling.

According to the most recent figures, every area of the district has reported either a fall in the number of Covid cases or no rise at all.

The picture does remain mixed across the district, with one area of Winchester still being classed as a ‘hotspot’, meaning it has recorded a rolling rate of over 400 cases per 100,000 people.

Winchester West remains the only ‘hotspot’ in the whole of the district, but an outbreak at the city’s prison is an explanation for this.

As the Chronicle previously reported, the latest information showed that there were 47 prisoners who have currently tested positive for coronavirus.

This week it has also completed the second phase of the mass testing today and results are expected over the weekend, so the number of cases is likely to increase.

Government figures for the week ending February 13 revealed that 42 cases were registered in Winchester West in the seven-day period, resulting in an infection rate of 421.4 per 100,000 people.

It is good news for other areas as data has been suppressed for Stanmore, Springvale and Itchen Abbas, Alresford, and Winchester North and Sparsholt, meaning that those places recorded fewer than three cases in the seven-day period.

Infection rates are falling across the Winchester district

Infection rates are falling across the Winchester district

The number of cases and the infection rate per 100,000 people for the seven days up to February 13 in all areas of the Winchester district are as follows:

Winchester West: 42 (421.4)

Winchester East: 11 (135)

Colden Common and Twyford: 10 (105)

Denmead and Southwick: 10 (97.5)

Whiteley, Knowle and Wickham: 10 (85.4)

Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase: 8 (82.7)

Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon: 4 (45.9)

Winchester Central and South: 4 (36.4)

South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever: 3 (51)

Oliver’s Battery and Hursley: 3 (36.7)

Winchester Stanmore: suppressed

Springvale and Itchen Abbas: suppressed

Alresford: suppressed

Winchester North and Sparsholt: suppressed

However, given this map is based on data from the previous week, it does not take into account the latest infections, while the infections shown are based on home address.