The Ases of Covid-19 is declining in 19 of London’s 32 districts, official figures revealed today in a rare wave of good news during the pandemic crisis.
The widespread decline across the capital is an encouraging sign that the rise in cases is now starting to stabilize.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan believes the city is “seeing initial signs that the increase in infections across the capital is starting to slow”.
Despite this, the virus is still believed to be spreading among at-risk people over the age of 60 and hospitalizations are increasing, which will surely lead to more deaths.
The decline in confirmed cases in many neighborhoods will raise questions about whether London should be placed under national lockdown for disease control, or if this is already happening with more people working from home and Level 2 measures starting to have an effect.
However, health chiefs believe the capital now has a chance to properly put the virus on hold if all Londoners adhere to the new lockdown rules that go into effect today.
Kingston saw the largest drop in confirmed cases, down 28.3 percent (or 104 cases) to 264 in the week ending October 30, compared to the previous seven days. The average seven-day turnover is 148.7 per 100,000 people, according to figures from Public Health England.
The decline in Kensington & Chelsea was 21.4 percent (53) to 195, with a rate of 124.9; In Camden, 18.1 percent (63) versus 286, with a rate of 105.9; In Hackney and City of London, the drop was 16.8 percent (88) to 436, a rate of 149.9.
In Ealing, the decrease was 16.4 percent (126) to 643, with a rate of 188.1; In Southwark, 15.7 percent (70), to 377, a rate of 118.2; Wandsworth 15.4% (80) to 438, a rate of 132.9; In Barnett, 13.3 percent (78) to 509, a rate of 128.6; In Bromley, 13.2 percent (53) to 347, a rate of 104.4, and Herringy, 11.4 percent (49) to 379, a rate of 141.1.
In Richmond, the decrease was 10.9 percent (35) to 285 and a rate of 143.9; In Hammersmith and Fulham – 8.5 percent (34) versus 366 – 197.7; In Brent, at 8.5 percent (36) to 387, and at 117.4; In Hounslow, down 4.5 percent (23) to 491, and by 180.8; At Enfield, 4.4 percent (23) to 497, and 148.9; In Islington, 3.8 percent (13) to 325, and a rate of 134; In Sutton by 3.3 percent (eight) to 238 and by 115.3; In Tower Hamlets 2.8 percent (16) to 546, a rate of 168.1, and in Lewisham 2.2 percent (seven) to 312, a rate of 102.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Thanks to the efforts of Londoners, we are seeing initial signs that the increase in infections across the capital is starting to slow, but cases are still high and the number of patients in hospitals and ventilators continues to rise.
“That is why it is so important that all Londoners play their part and follow the latest government restrictions. We must follow public health guidelines if we want to bring R to less than 1 again, reduce the number of cases and protect the NHS.
“The mayor urges the people of London to continue to do everything they can to protect each other and again to make massive collective sacrifices now in order to prevent more suffering at a later time.”
Three neighborhoods saw a spike in the number of confirmed cases.
In Harrow, they increased 0.3 percent (one) to 369, a rate of 146.9; In Westminster, it was 0.8 percent (three), to 391, and at a rate of 149.6, and in Redbridge, one percent (six), at 583, or 191.
In Newham, cases rose 3.7 percent (21) to 589 and a rate of 166.8; In Hillingdon, at 4.9 percent (26) to 561, at 182.8; In Croydon, 5.5 percent (24) to 459, and 118.7 percent; In Lambeth, 6.8 percent (32) to 501, and 153.7 percent; In Barking and Dagenham, 7.2 percent (23) to 342, and 160.6 percent; In Merton, 8.2 percent (23) to 305, and a rate of 147.7; In Waltham Forest, 15.1 percent (60) to 458, 165.4 percent; In Greenwich, by 17.5 percent (53), to 356, and by 123.6; In Bexley, 15.7 percent (49) to 362, 145.8 percent, and in Hovering 21.9 percent (91) to 506, 195.
Confirmed cases are only an indication of the level of the disease as the true number of cases is estimated to increase two to three times.
There are normal fluctuations in the numbers so it is premature to say that cases are now in a downward trend.
The positivity rate, the percentage of people who test positive out of those tested, is believed to still rise in about two-thirds of neighborhoods and decrease in about a third of neighborhoods, and for the capital as a whole around 7.7 percent.
Coronavirus rates in London are much lower than those in hotspots in the North and Midlands. The death rate due to disease is expected to be lower in the second wave of the first medical achievements in treating patients.
