Nearly 34,000 people across Portsmouth, Fareham, Gosport and Havant have reported coronavirus symptoms via NHS 111

NHS England data shows 11,787 occasions when someone in the NHS Portsmouth CCG area logged possible Covid-19 symptoms from March 18 to May 14, 10,555 occasions in the South Eastern Hampshire CCG area and 11,427 occasions in the Fareham and Gosport CCG area.

More than half of the calls across all areas came in just two weeks during March with percentage of calls dropping to single figures for the first two weeks of May.

The latest figures for positive cases of coronavirus, released on Friday, May 15, show 311 reported in the Portsmouth City Council area, 170 cases in the Fareham Borough Council area, 122 cases for Gosport Borough Council and 262 in the East Hampshire District Council area.

There have been 208 deaths reported at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Separate figures show the Hampshire and Surrey Heath 111 helpline dropped off by more than half in a month with a total of 16,389 calls in April, compared with 34,681 in March.

Health think tank the Nuffield Trust expressed concerns those who need urgent treatment may be put off seeking help.

Sarah Scobie, the Nuffield Trust's deputy director of research, said the 111 tool was ‘essential’ to keep patients with suspected Covid-19 symptoms safe, and those who seek advice on other conditions.

She said: ‘This month's data suggests that the NHS 111 service is less in demand this month, and better able to take the pressure off front-line services.

‘There are now legitimate concerns that those who do require urgent medical treatment may be put off from seeking help due to fear of infection or a desire to reduce pressure on overstretched health and services, despite some reassurances from the NHS that these services are still open.’

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, said the 111 service performed strongly in April, rebounding from the pressure it faced in March.

He said: ‘A&E attendances were sharply down, but the majority of these reductions were for lower risk conditions.

Urgent cancer referrals are now picking back up – having doubled over the past three weeks – and the NHS has launched a public information campaign reminding the people of the importance of seeking care for urgent and emergency conditions.’

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