Covid persists in mini-hotspot near Winchester: today's numbers

But it has virtually disappeared in eight other areas of the district.

For the first time this year and for many months in late last year no new cases have been reported today, according to figures from Public Health England released this evening.

Two more schools have been affected by Covid since reopening earlier this month, with newly reported cases at Henry Beaufort secondary in Harestock and Shepherds Down special school in Compton.

They join Sun Hill infant in Alresford, Kings' secondary in Winchester, Micheldever primary and St John the Baptist primary in Waltham Chase.

Figures for the past few days show that the numbers of Covid cases are edging up, although the increases are very small.

The Hampshire numbers: the first rise since January 14

For the first time since January 14 Hampshire as a whole has seen an increase in the last seven days, from 430 to 431.

But no deaths have been reported in the Winchester district for 27 days.

The mini-hotspot of South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever has been persisting now for more than two weeks. Figures released this afternoon show that there have been 13 new cases in the last seven days to Wednesday March 24, a rise of two for a rolling average per 100,000 people of 221, far above the national average and shown by the red and blue horizontal bar below.

The latest Covid numbers for South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever

Other areas seeing a rise in numbers are: Whiteley, Knowle and Wickham which has seen a 150 per cent increase, week on week, in new cases. The number has risen from two to five, for the week ending Wednesday March 24, the most recent day for which localised figures are available. The rolling number per 100,000 people is 42.7, the second highest in the Winchester district but now below the national average.

There have been small increases in three other areas: Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase, four cases, up two (100 per cent), for a rolling 41.3 per 100,000; Winchester West (Fulflood and Weeke), four cases, up two (100 per cent), rolling 40.1; Oliver's Battery and Hursley, three cases, up one, 50 per cent) rolling 36.7.

The four new cases reported across the district today brings the number of people affected since the start of the pandemic to 4,889, a rate of 3,916 per 100,000. The district covers more than just the city but includes countryside from Micheldever to Denmead.

The eight areas, where there have been fewer than three cases in the last seven days to March 24, are:

Winchester East;

Winchester Central and South;

Winchester North and Sparsholt;

Winchester Stanmore;

Springvale and Itchen Abbas;

Colden Common and Twyford;

Alresford;

Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon.

These areas are now marked white on the Government's Covid interactive online map.

The Winchester numbers released today

In the Winchester district as a whole official figures in the week to Wednesday March 24 there were 46 cases, up four or 9.5 per cent, for a rolling rate per 100,000 people of 36.8, up on recent days.

In the seven days to today (Monday) there have been 28 new cases, down from previous week’s 45.

The Press Association national news agency reported that the figures to March 20 show 132 places out of 315 in the UK with a better record than Winchester. Three weeks ago Winchester was 22nd best.

Across the NHS trusts in Hampshire (Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth, Southern and Solent) only two Covid patients have died, both in Portsmouth, pushing the overall figure to 1,890. The numbers of Covid patients who have died in the HHFT hospitals remains at 438 with only 11 deaths this month. There is no breakdown on where the deaths occurred.

Other Covid News: Today's numbers, Wednesday March 31