Cases still decreasing

CORONAVIRUS cases in South Oxfordshire have been declining for almost a month.

Laboratory or lateral flow device tests have confirmed 348 new cases of covid-19 within the past seven days compared with 432 cases the week before that and a peak of 713 cases in the seven days from the beginning of January.

The infection rate is down from last week’s figure of 304.1 cases per 100,000 of the population to 245.

The total number of cases since the start of the outbreak is now 4,940.

A total of 133 people in the district have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus diagnosis, up from last week’s tally of 121.

This week’s case figures break down as follows: Henley (43), Shiplake and Binfield Heath (six), Sonning Common and Kidmore End (four), Twyford East and Wargrave (11), Goring, Whitchurch and Woodcote (10), Benson and Crowmarsh (11), Watlington and Nettlebed (nine), the Hambleden Valley (11), Caversham Park and Emmer Green (31), Caversham Heights (19), central Caversham (11) and Lower Caversham (39).

There were 914 new cases in Reading borough this week with an infection rate of 565 cases per 100,000 of the population.

Oxfordshire had 2,181 cases with a rate of 315.5 per 100,000 while its death toll to date is 758.