The six areas of Winchester district now the hottest hotspots

Winchester district remains amongst the worst 20 local authority areas out of 377 in the UK, according to the latest figures.

The six areas are: Winchester West; Oliver's Battery and Hursley; Colden Common and Twyford; South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever; Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon; and Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase. All have cases above 800 people per 100,000 people and are marked as black on the Government map.

More younger people are now being affected with many still to be vaccinated.

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.

The average rate per 100,000 people has soared to 822.7, an increase of 29 per cent, in the seven days to October 18, according to the Press Association national news agency which is monitoring the figures daily. The Winchester number is only topped by Gosport with 844.4, up 30 per cent. Numbers are spiking across Hampshire with the lowest increase one of 18 per cent. The national average increase is 20 per cent.

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 Winchester district in the seven days to October 17 there were 1,002 cases, up 264 on the previous seven days, or 36 per cent, for a rolling figure per 100,000 of 795.7, now far above the Hampshire average of 605.3.

The numbers are still rising in all 14 places in the district, the first time this has happened this year. Cases have doubled in the last seven days in Winchester Central and South (153 per cent) and previously in Alresford, Winchester East and Whiteley, Knowle and Wickham.

Latest map showing the six hotspots in black

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

Colden Common and Twyford, has currently seen the sharpest number with 139 cases in the seven days to October 17, up 60, or 76 per cent for a rolling rate of 1,449 per 100,000;

Second is Oliver’s Battery and Hursley with 98 cases, up nine (10 per cent) for a rolling 1,197;

Third: Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon 82 cases, up 29 (55 per cent) 931;

Fourth: Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase 86, up three (four per cent) 871;

Fifth: South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever: 51, up 24 (89 per cent) 861;

Sixth: Winchester West (Weeke and Fulflood) 86, up seven, (nine per cent) 863.

The other eight areas, all now marked in maroon are:

Alresford: 62, up four (seven per cent) 730.9;

Winchester Central and South: 81, up 49 (153 per cent), 723

Winchester North and Sparsholt: 70, up 12 (21 per cent) 716.3;

Springvale and Itchen Abbas: 49, up 16 (48 per cent) 713;

Stanmore: 40, up 11 (38 per cent) 578;

Whiteley Knowle and Wickham: 64 cases, up 30 (88 per cent) 544;

Denmead and Southwick: 54, up two (four per cent) 510;

Winchester East (Winnall, St Giles Hill, Highcliffe and Bar End): 40, up eight (25 per cent) 493.

October 17 is the latest day for which localised figures are available. There are signs that the rises are beginning to ease as the increases are general lower than previously.

The number of deaths in the Winchester district since the start of the pandemic is still 180, the 42nd 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 12,356 Covid cases in the Winchester district since the start of the pandemic. That is a rate per 100,000 people of 9,812, compared to the Hampshire figures of 143,430 and 10,320. Some 1,482 cases have been reported yesterday countywide.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's most recent figures are 31 patients on Monday with Covid: 19 in Basingstoke, 10 at the RHCH and two in Andover War Memorial Hospital.

READ MORE HERE: Covid in Winchester soaring - the new hotspots

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