NEARLY a fifth of all the Covid cases in the Winchester district have been reported in the last six days, figures show.

The surge in Covid-19 in the Winchester district caused by the virulent new strain shows no sign of abating.

Today's figure of new cases was 119. In the previous five days since Boxing Day they have been 104, 57, 56, 84 and 90. The figure of 510 is 19 per cent of the total figure of 2,730 since last March.

The district's infection rate is 2,186 per 100,000 people. The national infection rate is 3,810 per 100,000.

The ‘district’ covers more than just the 'city' and covers a swathe of central Hampshire from Micheldever to Denmead, and Crawley to Ropley.

In the week between December 24-31 there have been 540 new cases reported in Winchester area, compared to 232 in the week to December 23. Winchester joins Southampton and Eastleigh where the rate has more then doubled over the same period.

Twenty-five deaths have been reported in the county council area in the last 24 hours with three in the NHS area that includes the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester. The county council number of deaths is now 1,076.

The hotspot in the southern parishes at Denmead and Southwick is still cooling, or is less hot, perhaps. In the two villages in the seven days to December 26, 79 cases were reported, a daily fall on the week before of 18, or 18 per cent. The rolling rate per 100,000 people of 770 is still amongst the highest in the country.

In the adjacent area of Swanmore, Hambledon and West Meon there have been 28 cases, up four, or 16 per cent, for a rolling number of 321, up from yesterday's 287.

As yesterday, there is only one area in the Winchester district where the numbers are dropping so fast that the area is marked green on the map: Stanmore. There have been only six news cases in the seven days to December 26, no change, for a rolling number of 88.5, amongst the lowest in the UK.

In Winchester East, which comprises Winnall, St Giles Hill, Highcliffe and Bar End, there were 13 cases, the same, for a rolling number of 159, slightly down.

But the numbers are climbing fast again in Alresford. In the week to December 26 there were 25 cases, up 22, or 733 per cent for a rolling number per 100,000 of 295.5. The week before the rolling rate had been 70.9.

Across Winchester district in the seven days to December 26 there have been 341 cases, up 111, or 48.3 per cent, for a rolling number of 273.1.

Across Hampshire there have been 4,355 cases in the seven days to Boxing Day, an increase of 1,507 week on week, or 52.9 per cent for a rolling number of 315 per 100,000.

The hottest hotspot in Hampshire is Rushmoor in the north-east of the county which includes Aldershot. It has seen the second highest week-on-week jump in the UK.

The most recent figures from the NHS show there are currently 44 Covid patients at the RHCH compared to 31 last week and 78 at Basingstoke hospital compared to 44 previously. There are now three at Andover War Memorial Hospital for the first time in months.

In the NHS today across Hampshire 14 people are reported to have died. Across the county’s NHS some 922 people have died since March.

In Winchester City Council area the figure for deaths is 105, no change. In Portsmouth it is 142, up six, and 148 in Southampton, up one.

The Office for National Statistics reports that 1,076 have died in the Hampshire County Council area, with an increase of 25 reported today.

So far, at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust there have been 243 deaths, up three since yesterday; 244 people have died at University Hospital Southampton, no change, whilst at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust the toll is now 406, up nine. Thirty-two deaths have been reported in Portsmouth this week alone.

More Covid-19 news

Local healthcare trust cancels planned operations

Read more here

The one area of the Winchester district where Covid-19 is on the retreat in recent days

Read more here

Patients being transferred from Kent to hospital in Southampton

Read more here