Covid cases fall again across swathes of city

COVID-19 cases have tumbled in swathes of central London to a rate of less than 40 confirmed new infections per 100,000 people a week, official figures reveal today.

They show the seven-day rate in Westminster down to 39.8 in the week to February 26, and 37 in Southwark.

Two other boroughs were below 40: Lewisham on 37.6 and Islington on 39.2.

For the capital as a whole, the seven-day rate was down to 61 after a weekly fall of 27.7 per cent. However, there are signs the disease may have plateaued in some areas and may even be starting to creep up again. The figures show:

Kingston saw the biggest fall in cases of 55.6 per cent in the week to February 26, followed by Newham on 44.6 percent, Lambeth 40.3 per cent and Southwark 40.1 per cent.

Twelve boroughs now have a seven-day rate below 50, with the other eight being Kingston, Hackney and City of London, Lambeth, Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond, Enfield, Bromley, Tower Hamlets.

The highest rate was Ealing on 111.2, with Hounslow the only other borough above 100 on 106.1.

Islington was the only borough to see cases increase, by two or 2.2 per cent in the week to February 26.

The daily announced new confirmed cases fluctuate significantly and were as low as four in Richmond yesterday, six in Islington and Haringey, and eight in Kingston and in Lewisham.

However, there were 11 in Kensington and Chelsea after being zero the day before. The real number of cases is also significantly higher, partly due to so many people having the virus asymptomatically.

A number of MPs are now calling for lockdown to be eased more quickly, or with a tiered rather than national approach.