THERE has been a fall in the number of people testing positive for Covid in Herefordshire, but cases are still going up in some neighbourhoods.

In the seven days to Thursday, February 3, a UK Government heatmap showed the areas in Herefordshire with the highest number of new Covid cases.

Cases fell in all but six of Herefordshire's 23 areas compared with data from January 27.

Current coronavirus hotspots in the county, those with the highest infection rates, include:

  • Hereford North East: areas such as Aylestone Hill, Munstone and Shelwick
  • Hereford South West: areas such as Hunderton and Newton Farm
  • Hereford West: areas such as Breinton Road and Westfaling Street
  • Ross-on-Wye
  • Hereford Central: areas such as the city centre, parts of the College Estate and Portfields
  • Lugwardine, Withington and Moreton-on-Lugg

The infection rate – the number of cases per 100,000 people – for those areas were all above the UK average of 864.1.

Only seven of the 23 areas in Herefordshire were below that.

OTHER NEWS:

Data showed cases were rising in the Golden Valley; Lugwardine, Withington and Moreton-on-Lugg; Bromyard and Bishop's Frome; Hereford West; Hereford North East; and Shobdon, Luston and Bodenham.

The map breaks Herefordshire down into 23 sections known as middle super output areas.

These are used to try and improve the reporting of small area statistics, with an average population of around 7,200 people in England and Wales.

In total, Herefordshire reported 2,139 cases in the seven days to February 3, giving it an infection rate of 1,104.8 cases per 100,000 people.

That was 358 fewer cases than the week before when the infection rate was 1,502.0. A fortnight ago it was 1,249.5.

Meanwhile, self-isolation after a positive Covid test could end this month amid plans to scrap coronavirus restrictions in England a month early, Boris Johnson has said.

The Prime Minister was speaking during this week’s instalment of Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

OTHER NEWS:

Mr Johnson said he would present the Government’s “Living With Covid” strategy when the Commons returns from its recess on February 21 and end the last domestic restrictions including the legal duty for cases to self-isolate “a full month early”.

Current coronavirus restrictions were set to expire on March 24 but Mr Johnson suggested rules could expire shortly after February recess.