Infection rate stuck at 220 in town centre

THE RATE of infection in Wokingham town continues to sit at 220 per 100,000 people, in the week up to Thursday, June 10.

Data from Public Health England revealed the town is significantly higher than the rest of Wokingham borough, where the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents is 85.3 — up from 78.9 last week.

This is higher than the national rate of infection at 70.2 per 100,000 people, which has risen significantly from 42.1 last week.

In Wokingham borough, there were 18 positive tests recorded on Tuesday, June 15, bringing the total number of infections to 8,735.

It comes as surge testing and vaccinations continue across Wokingham borough to trace the spread of the virus.

On Monday, June 14, Bracknell Forest Council also launched its own surge testing programme to track the Delta variant, in postcode GU47 0.

It also applies to staff and pupils at all the borough’s secondary schools, staff at primary schools, and any children who attend Binfield Primary School.

Since last week, Bracknell Forest has seen its rate per 100,000 fall slightly, from 97.9 to 80.8. There were 11 new cases on Tuesday, June 15.

The figures in neighbouring Reading borough are higher than in Wokingham again this week, with an infection rate of 94.6, dropping slightly from 96.4 last week. On Tuesday, Reading reported 22 new positive cases.

Windsor and Maidenhead had five new cases reported that day, but its rate per 100,000 has more than doubled from 13.2 last week to 35.7 this week.

West Berkshire recorded 15 positive cases, and its infection rate is 27.1, up from 23.4 last week.

Slough’s infection rate is 86.9, up from 72.2 cases per 100,000 last week. It also recorded 14 covid cases yesterday.

Nationally, 41,831,056 people have been given their first dose of a vaccine in the UK, and 30,209,707 people have had their second dose.

In England, this is 34,965,745 first doses and 25,566,178 second doses.

On Tuesday, there were 10 deaths in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test. There were 184 patients admitted to hospital with the virus.