Latest government figures show significant increase in Covid-19 cases for several Banbury areas

The latest government figures show several Banbury areas with a spike in Covid cases, including the Grimbury area which showed 115 cases, an increase of 41 cases for the seven–day period ending on January 1.

According to a Cherwell District Council tweet, Covid cases in Cherwell increased 75 per cent in the seven days up to New Year's Day.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s director for public health, said: “The number of cases both locally and nationally have risen hugely during December and people are once again being asked to stay at home. The new variant of Covid-19 spreads extremely quickly and these rules are being applied for our own safety and protection.

“We have seen how aggressively the virus spreads and during 2020 as a whole we have seen that this virus thrives on human contact. We clearly still have some very difficult times to get through before the vaccine begins to make a significant impact on Covid-19.

“The quick move to a further national lockdown is a stark warning that we need to be extra vigilant. I would urge people to take personal responsibility as individuals and families throughout the coming weeks to give ourselves a chance of containing the virus and clearing a path for the vaccine.

“I would urge everyone to protect themselves, the communities in which they live and therefore the NHS as we progress through the early days of 2021.”

Here are the latest figures for the rest of the Banbury area:

Banbury Hardwick: 108 cases - increase by 45

Banbury Easington: 85 cases - increase by 34

Banbury Neithrop: 60 cases - increase by 31

Bodicote, Adderbury and Bloxham: 89 cases - increase by 24

Brackley North: 89 cases - increase by 47

Brackley South: 19 cases - increase by 9

Middleton Cheney and Chipping Warden: 60 cases - increase by 36

Cropredy, Wroxton and Shennington: 45 cases - increase by 18

Deddington, Steeple Aston and Heyfords: 49 cases - increase by 16

Sibford, Hook Norton and Milcombe: 48 cases - increase by 28

Fenny Compton, Long Itchington and Harbuy: 55 cases - increase by 37

King's Sutton and Greatworth: 34 cases - increase by 20

Woodford Halse and Byfield: 31 cases - increase by 10

Kineton, Tysoe and Warmington: 29 cases - decrease by 3

Shipston and Brailes: 24 cases - increase by 12

Chipping Norton: 26 cases - increase by 14