Covid-19 figures fall in Banbury area - but health leaders urge people to follow rules due to high number of hospitalisations

Banbury residents warned against complacency in fight against Covid-19 as case numbers slightly drop
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As Covid-19 cases start to drop across the Banbury area residents are urged to continue following lockdown rules as cases remain at much higher levels than before Christmas, and hospitalisations and deaths continue to rise.

For the week ending January 15, there were 392.1 cases per 100,000 people in Oxfordshire compared to 567.2 the week before.

However, this is still four times higher than figure of 83.7 per 100,000 on December 4. The NHS in Oxfordshire is currently caring for twice the number of Covid-19 patients than at the peak of the first wave in spring 2020.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s director for public health, said: “We’d like to reassure people that what they have been doing in abiding by lockdown rules is starting to have an effect.

"But we are at the start of this task, not the end and we can’t afford to be complacent. The significant rise in hospitalisations clearly demonstrates the gravity of the situation, and the pressure on our healthcare system remains intense.

“We thank people for sticking to the rules since lockdown was reintroduced, but we need to continue in this vein over the weeks ahead - to give the vaccination programme the very best foundation to do its job.

"If people stop following the rules and forget about those simple steps of keeping your distance, washing your hands and wearing a face mask, we will undoubtedly see rises again.

Banbury residents warned against complacency in fight against Covid-19 as case numbers slightly drop (Image from Oxfordshire County Council)Banbury residents warned against complacency in fight against Covid-19 as case numbers slightly drop (Image from Oxfordshire County Council)
Banbury residents warned against complacency in fight against Covid-19 as case numbers slightly drop (Image from Oxfordshire County Council)

“Almost 12 months of dealing with Covid-19 tells us one thing very clearly, this virus relies on human contact to spread. The second we relax, Covid-19 comes back with a bang.

“Not giving the virus the opportunity to spread remains the best thing individuals, families and work colleagues can do to allow the vaccine the best chance to fight Covid-19. Please continue to do your bit so that collectively we can stop the spread.

“I would also remind people to get tested if they are showing symptoms and make sure you self-isolate if that test comes back as a positive. Testing is another weapon in our armoury against this formidable opponent.”

Cases in Oxfordshire:

With the total number of cases in Oxfordshire standing at 392.1 per 100,000 of the population, the number of cases per district is listed below.

Cherwell 532.2 per 100,000

Oxford 533.9 per 100,000

South Oxfordshire 297.8 per 100,000

Vale of White Horse 281.6 per 100,000

West Oxfordshire 263 per 100,000

Cases in Banbury area for seven day period up to January 14:

Banbury Grimsbury: 91 cases - decrease of 25

Banbury Ruscote: 81 cases - decrease of 54

Banbury Hardwick: 47 cases - decrease of 32

Banbury Neithrop: 44 cases - decrease of 13

Banbury Easington: 39 cases - decrease of 22

Bodicote, Adderbury and Bloxham: 48 cases - decrease of 55

Brackley North: 45 cases - decrease of 16

Brackley South: 26 cases - increase of 2

Deddington, Steeple Aston and Heyfords: 40 cases - increase of 3

Enstone and Middle Barton: 38 cases - increase of 13

Middleton Cheney and Chipping Warden: 27 cases - decrease of 20

King's Sutton and Greatworth: 14 cases - decrease of 13

Chipping Norton: 27 cases - increase of 5

Kineton, Tysoe and Warmington: 22 cases - increase of 4

Shipston and Brailes: 22 cases - decrease of 5

Sibford, Hook Norton and Milcombe: 13 cases - decrease of 34

Cropredy, Wroxton and Shennington: 11 cases - decrease of 33