Infection rate soars

THE coronavirus infection rate has almost doubled within a week in South Oxfordshire.

Over the past seven days, laboratory tests have confirmed 713 new cases of covid-19 with a rate of 501.9 infections per 100,000 of the population.

The week before that, there were 417 cases at a rate of 293.5 per 100,000.

Ninety-two people have died within 28 days of a positive diagnosis since the start of the pandemic, an increase on last week’s total of 84.

Cases in Henley more than doubled from 36 to 79 while surrounding villages tallied as follows: Shiplake and Binfield Heath (34), Sonning Common and Kidmore End (17), Twyford East and Wargrave (32), Goring, Whitchurch and Woodcote (18), Benson and Crowmarsh (44), Watlington and Nettlebed (23), the Hambleden valley (39), Caversham Park and Emmer Green (29), Caversham Heights (30), central Caversham (36) and Lower Caversham (48).