The threat of a London lockdown looms as Covid-19 cases in some south west London boroughs are higher than in parts of the North West in lockdown.
Four of the nine boroughs in south west London had a higher Covid-19 infection rate than the lowest borough currently in lockdown.
Ribble Valley, which is part of the North West lockdown, had an infection rate of 18.3 cases per 100,000 people, according to Public Health England.
This is lower than Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth and Wandsworth in the week ending 11 September.
Hammersmith & Fulham’s rate of 24.8 was the highest in the area and the ninth highest overall in London, but Sutton had the lowest not just in the area, but in all of London with 9.3.
This data comes as London mayor Sadiq Khan pushed for a capital wide lockdown and Matt Hancock admitted tougher measures were getting closer.
Councils across the area have been urging people to follow the guidelines and take all necessary precautions, as Covid-19 cases have risen across the whole of England.
Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director for Public Health England, said: “We are seeing a rising tide of coronavirus cases in London across a broad range of ages. This is no longer limited to young people in their twenties.
“Whilst the number of cases by borough varies, the general trend across the city is one of steadily increasing transmission and if that continues then the situation may escalate. It is more important than ever that we remain vigilant to control the virus and we must not be complacent at this critical time.
“I would urge everyone to pull together and help reverse this upward trend. The best advice remains to adhere to the rule of six and to continue following government guidelines around social distancing, face coverings and hand washing. There is also now very high demand for coronavirus tests and it is vital we test people with symptoms to help stop the spread of the virus. You can do your bit by only booking a test if you have clear coronavirus symptoms.”
For the latest guidance and information from Public Health England check out https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
