WINCHESTER is beating Covid with just the second outbreak at the prison and slight increases in a couple of areas.

Over the last four days the number of reported new cases have been six today and six, four and six.

In several areas including Alresford, Springvale and Itchen Abbas, South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever, Winchester North and Stanmore, Covid has almost disappeared.

In the Winchester West area, which includes the prison, in the seven days to February 15 there were 42 new cases, an increase of 20 for a rolling week-on-week rolling rate of 421.4 per 100,000. That is among the highest in the country.

The publication of the localised numbers today for a week ago clarifies the location and reason for the spike of 38 cases reported last Monday, the highest daily number since January 22.

Other areas seeing an increase are Denmead and Southwick, with 11 new cases, up four, 57 per cent for a rolling rate of 107.3, and Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon, seven cases, up two, or 40 per cent.

In the last seven days to today there have been 86 new cases in the Winchester district, down from the previous week's 88.

The number of Winchester district cases since the start of the pandemic is now 4,688 for a rate per 100,000 people of 3,754. The district covers more than just the city but includes countryside from Micheldever to Denmead.

No deaths were reported in Winchester district today although there were three on Saturday, the first for three days, bringing the number since the start of the pandemic to 175, a rate of 140.2 per 100,000 people. In the last seven days there have been four deaths.

On Friday Cllr Phil North, leader of Test Valley Borough Council, reported from an NHS briefing that the number of patients in Hampshire Trust hospitals was down to 95, from 135 the previous Friday. Three weeks ago the number was 245. Last Monday the number was 124 with 68 at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and 56 at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.

Eleven people with coronavirus have died in hospitals across Hampshire in the last 24 hours, according to the latest NHS figures.

Three people died at the Hampshire Hospitals trust (HHFT) that runs the RHCH, moving the number of deaths there to 418. There is no available breakdown on regarding at which hospital the deaths occur.

NHS England statistics published today show that three deaths were recorded at University Hospital Southampton, taking the total at 454 since the start of the pandemic.

A further five deaths were recorded at Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, bringing its total to 844. No deaths were recorded at Solent trust (8) or Southern (57).

The county’s hospital coronavirus death toll now stands at 1,781.

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.

Across the Hampshire County Council area nine deaths were reported today, according to the Office for National Statistics. These are when deaths are reported not when they happened. It brings to 2,249 the death toll in the HCC area since last March, a rate of 162.7 per 100,000 people.

Across the county council area today 149 cases were reported bringing the total to 60,134, for a rate of 4,349 per 100,000.

Deaths reported in Southampton are now 306, up one, or 119.2 per 100,000. In Portsmouth the figure is 336, up four, for 156.3 per 100,000.

The Chronicle's recent Covid coverage:

Covid rates dropping except in one area. Read more here

The Winchester districts with the highest and lowest Covid rates. Read more here

Outbreak at the prison. Read more here