Covid in Winchester soaring: the new hotspots

Last week the district saw the steepest week on week increase in Covid infections in the UK.

More younger people are now being affected with many still to be vaccinated. Barton Stacey Primary School has reportedly closed for two days and at Westgate secondary in Fulflood pupils are again being asked to wear masks.

The spike is sparking concerns among county health chiefs who are urging people to practice good hygiene such as regular hand washing and wearing face coverings.

Figures reveal the district today last week saw the steepest rise of all 377 local authority areas. There are only 14 areas with worse figures.

The average rate per 100,000 people has soared from 484.4 to 719.5 in the last seven days, according tot the Press Association national news agency which is monitoring the figures every day. The numbers to October 14 rose from 610 to 906.

But while the number of cases is rising fast there has only been one death from Covid-19 in the Winchester district since March, indicating that most people contracting the disease are young and in general good health.

In the seven days to October 13 there were 897 cases, up 354 on the previous seven days, or 65 per cent, for a rolling figure per 100,000 of 712.3, now far above the Hampshire average of 537.2.

The numbers are rising in all 14 places in the district, the first time this has happened this year. Cases have doubled in Alresford and Winchester East and Whiteley, Knowle and Wickham.

There are now five hotspots marked black on the Government map, the highest, or worst, designation.

Colden Common and Twyford, has currently seen the sharpest number with 112 cases in the seven days to October 13, up 42, or 60 per cent for a rolling rate of 1,167.9 per 100,000.

Second is Oliver’s Battery and Hursley with 1,160.8, the highest number since at least January. Then comes Alresford at 919.5 per 100,000, Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Case 918.4, Winchester West, 884.0.

Five parts of Winchester district now marked in black on the Government map - Winchester West, Oliver's Battery and Hursley, Colden Common and Twyford, Alresford, and Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase

In nine areas the latest figures are for more than 400 cases per 100,000 people making them maroon on the Government map. The nine 400+ hotspots are: Winchester East; Winchester North and Sparsholt; Winchester Central and South; Stanmore; Springvale and Itchen Abbas; South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever; Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon; Denmead and Southwick; and Whiteley Knowle and Wickham

The latest figures are from the seven days to Sunday October 13, the most recent day for which localised figures are available.

The worst-affected areas, marked in black:

Colden Common and Twyford: 112 cases, up 42 (60 per cent) 1,167.9;

Oliver’s Battery and Hursley: 95 cases, up 32 (51 per cent), 1,160.8;

Alresford: 78, up 39 (100 per cent) 919.50;

Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase: 90 cases, up 41 (84 per cent) 918.4;

Winchester West (Weeke and Fulflood): 88 cases, up 42 (91 per cent) 884.0.

The others, all marked in maroon are:

Swanmore Hambledon and West Meon: 66 cases, up 27 (69 per cent) 749.8;

South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever: 40, up 16 (67 per cent) 675.7;

Winchester North and Sparsholt: 66, up 21 (47 per cent) 675.3;

Stanmore: 35, up 5 (17 per cent) 505.8;

Denmead and Southwick: 52, up 7 (16 per cent) 491.6;

Springvale and Itchen Abbas: 33, up 13 (65 per cent) 480.8;

Winchester East (Winnall, St Giles Hill, Highcliffe and Bar End): 38, up 22 (137 per cent) 468.6;

Whiteley Knowle and Wickham: 54 cases, up 28 (108 per cent) 459.5;

Winchester Central and South: 50, up 24 (92 per cent), 446.5.

The number of deaths in the Winchester district since the start of the pandemic is still at 180, the 38th day with no change. It had been on 179 since March, meaning there has only been one death in seven months.

In total there have been 11,717 Covid cases in the Winchester district since the start of the pandemic with 152 reported yesterday. That is a rate per 100,000 people of 9,304, compared to the Hampshire figures of 137,922 and 9,928. Some 1,059 cases have been reported yesterday countywide.

Nationally yesterday 45 deaths have been reported, lower than recently but usual for a Monday.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reported 31 patients on Monday with Covid: 19 in Basingstoke, 10 at the RHCH and two in Andover War Memorial Hospital.

The number of Winchester University students with Covid is now at 14 from a recent low of six, and high of 20, which was the highest number in months. Four of the 14 cases have been on campus which has been seeing an influx of freshers. There have been 51 people who have recovered since September. Since September 2020 there have been 243 cases at the university.

Since the start of this term schools no longer have to report cases to Hampshire County Council so those figures are no longer available publicly.