Earley is the area of Wokingham that recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases last week.

The latest figures (updated January 18) show 687 people tested positive for the virus in Wokingham between January 6 and January 13 – 237 fewer than in the previous week.

Public Health England has broken down the data to show the number of confirmed cases recorded in local neighbourhoods, which are known as Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs).

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Over that seven-day period, 79 people tested positive for Covid-19 in Earley.

There were 60 confirmed cases in Spencers Wood and Swallowfield, 53 in Winnersh and 51 in Wokingham Town.

Shinfield recorded 45 cases and Southlake recorded 40.

There were 37 confirmed cases in Sonning and Woodley, 35 in Woodley South and 34 in Arborfield Garrison.

Confirmed cases in other areas of Wokingham:

  • Lower Earley South – 30
  • Crowthorne North – 30
  • Woodley East – 29
  • Wokingham West and South – 28
  • Wokingham North and Hurst – 26
  • Lower Earley North – 22
  • Wokingham East – 22
  • Twyford West and Charvil – 22
  • Finchampstead – 21
  • Twyford East and Wargrave – 15
  • Barkham and Woosehill – 8

When the second national lockdown was lifted on December 2, Wokingham’s seven-day infection rate stood at 128.6 cases per 100,000 people.

It had reached 606.8 when Prime Minister Boris Johnson took the decision to impose a third national lockdown on January 4.

Public health experts believe the dramatic surge in cases was caused by a new and more infectious strain of the virus that was first detected in Kent.

Wokingham’s infection rate now stands at 401.5 cases per 100,000 people, after 687 new cases.