Brentford Covid-19 Infections Surge To Record Levels

Over seven hundred new cases in the area in just a week


West Middlesex Hospital under severe pressure

The second wave of the coronavirus has continued to hit the Brentford and Isleworth areas hard with 787 new infections reported in the latest week for which numbers are available.

The worst hit area has been Brentford West and Osterley Park which has seen the number of infections rise by 62.1% to 107 in the week to 2 January. This equates to an infection rate of 1,345.9 per 100,000 population.

The Syon Green area has seen 131 cases although the rise there over the week is a more modest 24.8% to give an infection rate of 1,191.1. Brentford East has seen a 62.7% rise with 135 new cases giving an infection rate of 1,083.5.

There are some local areas where the weekly number of cases hasn’t been increasing with Spring Grove and Isleworth & Ivybridge seeing falls and the number of positive tests in Brentford Central static.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that 64 people have died in the Brentford and Isleworth areas. However, this data only covers the period before the end of November when the new strain had yet to have any impact so it can be expected to rise significantly. Four people died in November after the area had gone three months without seeing any deaths.

We have asked the local hospital trust for a comment on the situation at West Middlesex Hospital and await a reply. It is understood that Covid-19 admissions are putting severe pressure on the available ICU beds and non-emergency surgery and routine out-patient appointments are being cancelled.

Having been below the London average for some time the infection rate has increased in Hounslow to 1,102 per 100,000 in the week to 2 January.

On 7 January 2021 the daily number of new people tested positive for COVID-19 in London was reported as 10,150 bringing the total number infected in the capital to over 470,000. This compares to a figure of 2,497,824 cases for England as a whole.

In the most recent week of complete data, 27 December 2020 - 2 January 2021, 92,833 cases were identified in London, a rate of 1036 cases per 100,000 population. This compares with 73,312 cases and a rate of 818 for the previous week. The rate for the whole of England is 612 cases per 100,000 population.

The ONS divide the country into ‘Middle Super Output Areas’ (MSOAs) of roughly equal population size. The Brentford East MSOA had 38 new cases to bring its infection rate to 305 and Brentford Central had 33 cases for a rate of 310. The Osterley and Lampton East infection rate rose by 78.6% to give an overall rate of 273.

Source: ONS

Professor Kevin Fenton, London Regional Director for Public Health England said, “London’s COVID-19 infection rates are the highest we’ve seen anywhere in the country at any point during the pandemic. The new variant of the virus which transmits more rapidly is widespread and dominant across London, so the ask is simple – it is critical we must all stay at home.

“This has never been more important whilst the NHS continues to deliver the vaccine to those who need it most, and London’s hospitals care for hundreds of new seriously unwell COVID-19 patients each day.

“If you need to leave home for an essential reason such as food shopping, attending medical appointments including getting a COVID-19 test or vaccine, act like you’ve got it so you don’t accidentally spread it - wear your mask, wash your hands and keep your distance from others.

“The best thing all Londoners can do is stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.”

Tier four restrictions now apply to the area. These are similar to those imposed during the first national lockdown with people being told to stay at home - although travel for work is still permitted.

Social mixing is restricted to meeting one other person from outside your household in an open public space. All non-essential retail will have to close, along with hairdressers, nail bars and indoor entertainment venues.

Support bubbles remain unaffected, as do the exemptions for separated parents and their children.

January 8, 2021