SOUTHAMPTON currently has the highest Covid case rate across the whole of the south - with positive test numbers increasing over the past few weeks.

In the seven days to March 15, the city recorded 236 positive coronavirus cases.

These positive tests were from those carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

Over the previous seven days to March 8, 163 cases were reported.

This week-on-week increase means the rolling Covid case rate per 100,000 people for the city has gone from 64.5 to 93.5.

The current rate for Southampton is higher than any of case rates recorded in London and all areas south of the capital.

Data from the most recent four days, March 16 to March 19, has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 137 (43 per cent) have seen a rise in case rates, 171 (54 per cent) have seen a fall and seven are unchanged.

Southampton currently has the 48th highest Covid weekly case rate in the country.

Figures released by the Government show however, since the start of March there has been an increase in the number of coronavirus tests being carried out in the city.

While more people have been tested, the PCR test positivity percentage - the proportion of people returning a positive test - is still less than two per cent.

Around the turn of the year, 16 per cent of people getting test in Southampton were testing positive.

Below is the lastest weekly Covid case rates for Hampshire areas. From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to March 15; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to March 15; rate of new cases in the seven days to March 8; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to March 8.

  • Southampton, 93.5, (236), 64.5, (163)
  • Eastleigh, 47.9, (64), 53.2, (71)
  • Portsmouth, 44.7, (96), 60.5, (130)
  • Gosport, 38.9, (33), 38.9, (33)
  • Fareham, 37.9, (44), 52.5, (61)
  • Winchester, 36.0, (45), 21.6, (27)
  • Rushmoor, 34.9, (33), 30.7, (29)
  • East Hampshire, 34.3, (42), 18.8, (23)
  • Hart, 33.0, (32), 15.5, (15)
  • Test Valley, 30.9, (39), 35.7, (45)
  • Havant, 30.1, (38), 38.8, (49)
  • Basingstoke and Deane, 29.4, (52), 45.3, (80)
  • New Forest, 24.4, (44), 25.5, (46)