Coronavirus: Portsmouth residents praised as city sees low number of new cases in recent weeks

Between May 9 and 23 this year a total of eight people from Portsmouth tested positive from the virus - which works out as 3.7 people per 100,000 of the population.

This placed the city as 299th out of 313 council areas in England for the number of new cases in those two weeks.

In comparison 22.2 people per 100,000 in Havant tested positive placing it as 107th. East Hampshire had 8.2 cases, Fareham had 7.7, Gosport had 7.1 and Southampton had 16.2.

Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt called the figures a 'testament to the discipline and sacrifices people have made.'

'In such a densely populated city, with so many working in key sectors you might think we'd have one of the highest infection rates,' she said.

'I want to thank everyone for doing so, and the huge number who have stepped up to support others. Now we need to work together to keep infections down and kick start the economy. Let's keep going, better times are ahead.'

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan agreed but urged people to keep social distancing. He said: 'For the sake of frontline workers and the safety of the vulnerable in our community, we must not now take our eyes off the ball. Our actions at this stage are critical. The need to continue practising social distancing and be led by science is more important than ever.

'I have every faith that our city will carry on these efforts.'

It comes as the government announced 'local lockdowns' could be introduced in areas which are seeing spikes in the number of cases.

According to the data the places in England the areas which have seen the highest number of new cases in recent weeks are Ashford, Hartlepool and Blackpool.

Portsmouth council leader Councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson hoped the rules would remain 'second nature' He said: 'The figures speak for themselves. People in Portsmouth have really done well.

'I think the rules are starting to become second nature. People don't complain when they go to the shops and have to stand two metres apart in the queue and we need to maintain that.

'Now people are able to spend more time outdoors but as long as they keep two metres away from people who aren't in their households that's fine.'

Tory group leader for the city, Cllr Donna Jones, added: 'Being the most densely populated city in the country outside of London, with many front doors just inches from each other, the death toll from this global pandemic could have been so much worse.

'Most people in the city have listened, they've acted responsibly and they have restricted the spread of the virus.'

Between the start of the pandemic and May 23 there have been 316 cases of coronavirus in Portsmouth, 239 in Havant, 579 in Southampton, 269 in East Hampshire, 178 in Fareham and 123 in Gosport.

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