Covid-19 Infections Double in a Week in Wandsworth Borough

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Highest number of cases in a single day recorded last Thursday

On 17 December alone there were a record 335 cases in the borough according to the government’s dashboard with a sharp increase in cases since 7 December.

The sudden surge can be best illustrated by the weekly changes in the rate of infection. In the seven days to 16 December there were 1,468 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wandsworth, which is a rate of 445.3 cases per 100,000 people. This is more than double the week before.

In the seven days to 9 December there were 579 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the borough, equating to a rate of 175.6 cases per 100,000.

As of Monday, 21 December there have been 8,297 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wandsworth since March.

There is a similar picture for other boroughs in South West London with previously east London, Essex and Kent having been the worst affected. Despite the surge in the rate Wandsworth level of infection is still in the bottom half of the table for London boroughs.

In neighbouring Richmond, in the seven days to 16 December there were 696 confirmed cases identified in the borough, meaning there were 351.5 cases per 100,000 residents.

The week before, in the seven days to 9 December, there were 276 confirmed cases and a rate of 139.4 cases per 100,000 residents.

St George’s Hospital, in Tooting, is one of the major hospitals for South West London and has seen an increase in the number of patients with coronavirus in the last week.

As of 21 December, there are 37 Covid-19 positive patients being cared for in intensive care and 152 Covid-19 positive patients being cared for on the wards. 373 patients have died after testing positive for coronavirus since March this year.

There have been nine deaths registered by the Trust on the NHS dashboard in the past few days, covering the period December 16 – 19.

A statement on the Trust’s website reads: “Our thoughts are with the families of the patients affected – and, in all cases, we would ask that their privacy is respected at this time.”

The government has scrapped the relaxation of Christmas Covid rules for much of south-east England with tier four restrictions coming into place on Sunday 20 December. The Prime Minister has said that the spread in cases 'being driven by the new variant of the virus'

Tier four restriction are similar to those imposed during the first national lockdown with people being told to stay at home - although travel for education or work is still permitted.

Social mixing will be restricted to meeting one other person from outside your household in an open public space.

All non-essential retail will have to close, along with hairdressers, nail bars and indoor entertainment venues.

Support bubbles remain unaffected, as do the exemptions for separated parents and their children.


Sian Bayley - Local Democracy Reporter

December 22, 2020