Worst Ever Month For Covid-19 Fatalities in SW15

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Thirty-nine more people die to bring local death toll over 100

Medical experts hope the death toll has peaked in January

The latest official figures for Covid-19 fatalities show that Putney and Roehampton experienced their worst month this January.

39 people died surpassing the worst death toll for any month during the first wave of the pandemic and bringing the total number of people who have died from the disease in the area to 109.

January was always expected to be a bad month because infection rates and hospital admissions in December of last year provided a lead indicator that more fatalities were likely. It is widely hoped that this will mark the peak with infection rates having started to decline a few weeks into the year.

The worst hit during January was the Roehampton North East area in which 8 people died bringing the local total to 23. East Putney, having been relatively lightly impacted by the disease up to this month saw 7 more deaths.

There continues to be better news on infection rates across the area with cases generally declining. In East Putney the Office of National Statistics (ONS) did not disclose a rate for the week to 20 February because there were fewer than three cases. It does this to protect the privacy of individuals.

The West Hill North area has an infection rate well above neighbouring localities at 105.3 cases per 100,000.

For the purpose of gathering this data the ONS divides the country up into Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs).

Covid-19 Infections in the week to 20 February 2021
Area (MSOA)	Cases	Rate per 100,000	Change (%)	Deaths since March 2020	Deaths in January 2021
West Hill North	11	150.3	-8.3	17	6
Roehampton South & Putney Vale	6	72.0	-40.0	14	3
Southfields North	6	62.4	200.0	8	3
Putney Embankment & Lower Common	5	60.8	150.0	2	1
Roehampton North West	4	56.2	-20.0	9	5
Putney West	5	55.6	150,0	4	1
Roehampton North East	6	53.1	-14.3	23	8
West Hill South	4	52.8	-50.0	5	2
Putney Town & Wandsworth Park	6	50.7	-40.0	6	3
East Putney	-	-	-	11	7

Source: Office of National Statistics

MSOAs in the SW15 area

The infection rate for Wandsworth borough is 68 per 100,000 slightly below the level for London as a whole.

Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director for Public Health England reacting to the Prime Minister’s announcement of the roadmap for the relaxation of coronavirus restrictions said, “There is no doubt it’s been a long, hard winter for everyone in London, but this week we can finally start to feel cautiously optimistic about the coming months.

“As the Prime Minister laid out the steps in his roadmap on Monday, we will all have heard it slightly differently. For many, there would have been anticipation as they started counting the days until they could see loved ones again. For others, who may have been juggling childcare with working from home, or just worried about the mental health of their children, there will have been relief at the news of schools re-opening. Of course, for others again there will be anxiety, doubts and worries – perhaps because they work in an industry that isn’t re-opening just yet or because they fear what easing lockdown will mean for COVID-19 rates across the city and country.

“All of these feelings are completely natural and to be expected. But however you feel, it is important to remember that what the Prime Minister has outlined is a careful, incremental approach to opening up different parts of society.”

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February 26, 2021