Third Wave 'Has Already Arrived' in Chiswick

W4's infection rate soars with Covid-19 cases doubling in a week

People queueing to get vaccinated this weekend

The number of positive Covid-19 tests has risen rapidly in Chiswick giving the area an infection rate well above the London average.

There were 77 cases in the week to 14 June, the most recent date for which reports are available, more than double the previous seven days. This has brought the average infection rate in Chiswick higher than that of any local authority area in London.

Worst affected is the area designated as Chiswick South West, which includes Strand on the Green. The infection rate there has risen to 226.3 per 100,000 population. The Chiswick North West area, which covers much of Acton Green, has a rate of 221.0. Bedford Park, on the other hand, has seen only a small increase with just 5 cases during the week.

The rise in the Chiswick area is believed to be one of the reasons a mass PCR testing event was organised at short notice at the Brentford Community Stadium this Saturday (19 June). The prevalence of the Delta Variance of Concern in the area has led to efforts being stepped up to encourage as many people as possible to get tested and receive the vaccine.

A Chiswick-based GP said, “The models created by epidemiologists have been telling us that this third wave is coming and that is almost definitely the reason the government postponed the loosening of restrictions that was due to take place on Monday. It is likely that the third wave has already arrived in Chiswick a bit earlier than other nearby areas rather than there being an isolated cluster of cases here. The good news is that the protection offered by a double dose of any of the vaccines appears now to be 90% but that still means you can get the virus and if you haven’t been fully vaccinated or have only recently had the jab, the transmissibility of the Delta variant means you still need to be extra careful at the moment.”

At the same time infection rates elsewhere in the borough have fallen relative to other parts of London. Having consistently had infection rates among the highest in the capital Hounslow is now at 83 just above the capital’s average and the government announced on Friday that it will no longer have surge status which means that extra funding will not be given for vaccine and testing initiatives. Ealing has a similar infection rate at 83 with Lambeth and Wandsworth currently the areas where the virus is most prevalent.

Data on fatalities for the month of April 2021 has been released which shows that two more people died in the Chiswick area bringing the local death toll since the start of the pandemic to 65.

Map showing the areas from the table above

The total number of Covid-19 cases identified in London is 743,397 as at 17 June, this compares to 4,019,956 cases for England as a whole.

In the week to 13 June, 6,458 cases were identified in London, a rate of 72 cases per 100,000 population. This compares with 4,634 cases and a rate of 52 for the previous week.

In the same period 43,643 cases were identified in England as a whole, a rate of 78 cases per 100,000 population. This compares with 30,428 cases and a rate of 54 for the previous week.

Up to and including 17 June 4,901,306 people in London had received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine and 3,149,937 had received two doses.

June 20, 2021