Latest coronavirus figures – infections continue to rise across the New Forest

CORONAVIRUS numbers are accelerating in the New Forest and Christchurch, according to figures released this week.

As of Tuesday government figures showed there had been a total of 561 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the district this year – an increase of 37 on the same time last week.

The rate has been climbing for several weeks now, following a rise of 23 the previous Tuesday and 17 before that.

However, for the eighth week running there have been no Covid-19 deaths reported in the New Forest, according to separate numbers from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The total death toll in the district remains at 131.

The total of confirmed cases of Covid-19 for the BCP Council area, which includes Christchurch, was 1,036 – up by 91 on the total last week of 945.

The conurbation’s infection rate is also rising as the previous week’s equivalent increase was 42, and 28 the week before that.

There were also no deaths reported in the BCP Council area, meaning the total fatalities in the conurbation stay at 189.

The weekly figures from the ONS relate to deaths that occurred up to 4th September but were registered up to 12th September.

This week’s regional R rates – the average number of people who get infected from some-one with the coronavirus – on Tuesday was in the range of 1-1.2 in the south-east and 0.9-1.2 in the south-west. A rate of more than one indicates the epidemic is growing.