Portsmouth sees coronavirus infection rate rise with new cases

The increase means the city’s case rate has risen to 2.8 cases per 100,000 people, with six new cases in the week up to Tuesday August 4.

This is an increase from 0.9 per 100,000 in the previous week, which saw two new cases reported.

The figures are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

Despite the rise, Portsmouth’s infection rate continues to be the envy of the authorities across the country, according to council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson.

He said: ‘We have been so successful – I have had a call from council leaders around the country and they could not believe how well we have done in Portsmouth.

‘Our rates are in the ones and twos, they have rates in the fifties and sixties – they are so much worse off than us.

‘People in Portsmouth have been so good with social distancing but there is no point going through the all the pain of the last four months just to throw it away now.

‘People need to keep to social distancing.’

In Pendle, Lancashire, the infection rate has increased from 40.2 to 78.2 per 100,000 from July 28 to August 4.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth has done ‘incredibly well’ in Covid fight

Other areas recording notable rises in this period include Swindon which has seen its rate rise from 33.8 to 50.0, and Oldham with its rate moving from 59.5 to 66.6

In Blackburn with Darwen, the rate has fallen from 86.8 to 78.2, with 117 new cases.

Data from August 5 to August 7 is excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

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