Covid and Omicron rising fast across whole of Winchester

It is rising in every part of the district for the first time this year.

The new variant Omicron has been confirmed in 177 cases, with 51 suspected, putting Winchester in the worst quarter for local authorities in the UK. It would appear that Omicron is still a minority of Covid cases.

Winchester is now the worst affected local authority area in Hampshire.

The villages north of Winchester including Kings Worthy, South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever have much higher rates than most other parts of the district.

The rate has doubled in seven days in the area of South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever, Springvale and Itchen Abbas, Winchester North and Sparsholt and more southerly areas of Colden Common and Twyford and Stanmore.

The Omicron variant entered Hampshire earlier this month and health experts say it is spreading faster than other variants.

However, its impact has yet to be seen in local hospitals. Figures released this afternoon reveal 19 patients at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, the same as last week, 23 at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital, the same, and two at Andover War Memorial Hospital, down two.

No deaths have been reported in the Winchester district, with none since December 10.

Today, in the week to December 15, 1,256 cases were reported, a sharp rise of 458, or 57 per cent, on the previous seven days. That compares to a week-on-week rise of 37 last Monday and 122 on January 5 during the previous peak. The rate now in Winchester per 100,000 people is 997, the highest figure this year.

Winchester-worst affected in Hampshire

Cases are so high that 11 areas are now marked in black on the Government Covid map as having more than 800 cases per 100,000 people.

The breakdown of the Covid cases in the 14 areas of Winchester in the seven days to Wednesday December 15, the most recent day for which localised figures are available, is:

South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever, 115 cases, up 59 (105 per cent) with 1,942 cases per 100,000 people;

Second is Springvale and Itchen Abbas with 107 cases, up 56 (109 per cent) with 1,558 per 100,000;

Third is Winchester North and Sparsholt with 139 cases, up 72 (107 per cent) with 1,422 per 100,000;

Fourth: Winchester West (Weeke and Fulflood), 111 cases, up 30 (37 per cent) 1,115;

Fifth: Stanmore, 66 cases, up 37 (127 per cent), 953;

Sixth: Colden Common and Twyford, 90 cases, up 52 (136 per cent), 938;

Seventh: Alresford, 77 cases, up 21 (37 per cent), 907;

Eighth: Oliver's Battery and Hursley, 74 cases, up 29, (64 per cent), 904;

Ninth: Wickham, Knowle and Whiteley, 101 cases, up 19 (23 per cent) 859;

Tenth: Winchester Central and South, 95 cases, up 31 (48 per cent), 848;

Eleventh: Bishop's Waltham and Waltham Chase, 80 cases, up nine (13 per cent), 816;

Twelfth: Winchester East (Winnall, Highcliffe, St Giles Hill and Bar End), 64 cases, up 26 (68 per cent), 789;

Thirteenth: Swanmore, West Meon and Hambledon, 66 cases, up 15 (29 per cent), 749;

Fourteenth: Denmead and Southwick, 71 cases, up two (3 per cent), 671.

Numbers continue to rise at the university, which has students living in mainly Winchester West, Winchester Central and South and Stanmore. There are now 55 cases, with 18 new ones and 27 linked to the campus. Term has ended and most students have gone home. Although students will be returning from other places they will be more scattered and not living in halls of residence.