Covid-19 Cases Continue To Fall Sharply in W4

Health professionals warn virus remains prevalent in the community

Getting vaccinated continues to be encouraged

The latest data for Covid-19 infections in the Chiswick area has confirmed the recent trend of decline although it remains a relative hotspot compared to the rest of London.

Concern had been expressed by some local health professionals that earlier falls may have been due to the ending of free testing but the drop in the number of cases is greater than the decrease in the number of tests being taken in local boroughs.

Despite the falls, the prevalence of the disease remains high in the W4 postcode area with 178 people testing positive in the week to 14 April. Some experts believe that the highest levels of infection at any time in the pandemic took place in recent weeks and they continue to urge caution despite the decline as the chances of being infected remain high.

All Chiswick neighbourhoods saw falls in the data for the last week, but many locations continue to have a number of cases well above the borough and London average including the north of the area which has seen infection rates of 453.3 in the area designated as Chiswick North East by the Office of National Statistics and 440.3 in Chiswick North West which corresponds roughly to the Acton Green area.

Hounslow and Ealing have infection rates of 312 and 311 respectively compared to the London average of 302 which is down from 524 the previous week.

A local GP said, "The Omicron wave has not resulted in the level of hospitalisations and deaths many feared although it has been far from benign and the borough (Hounslow) recently reported multiple fatalities in a single day for the first time in a long time. The Health Service locally desperately needs some respite and hopefully the falls in infections will result in staffing levels being somewhere near adequate. What we really don't understand yet is the impact of Long Covid and how much extra strain this will put on resources. Despite the fall in cases the message remains that you should do all you can to avoid catching a disease that remains rife in the area and can make you very ill indeed."

Map showing the Middle Super Output Areas from the table above. Source: ONS

On 14 April there were 2,298 Covid-19 patients in London hospitals down from 2,849 the previous week although the Imperial Health Trust, which runs hospitals many Chiswick residents use, has seen an increase in admissions over the last week. The number of patients in London on ventilators due to Covid is down slightly from 103 to 101.

In England as a whole the infection rate is 422 cases per 100,000 population. This compares with 384,173 cases and a rate of 679 for the previous week

Up to and including 13 April 6,473,781 people in London had received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 6,017,559 had received two doses with 4,302,000 having received either a third vaccine dose or a booster dose.

April 17, 2022