Haringey records tenth-highest Covid-19 case rate in UK

Haringey has the tenth-highest coronavirus infection rate in the UK, with a ‘major incident’ now declared in response to surging cases in London.

The borough recorded 1,572 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in the seven days to 16th December, according to data from Public Health England.

Lambeth was the worst-affected part of the capital, with 2,477 cases per 100,000 people during the same period. The top 18 local authorities with the highest infection rates in the UK were all London boroughs.

Despite rising case numbers, hospitalisations have so far remained well below the peak recorded in January this year. On 11th December (the most recent date with available data) the seven-day average of hospital patients with Covid-19 in North Middlesex Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was 50.4, compared with 304.1 recorded on 9th January.

On Saturday, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan declared a major incident in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across the capital, which he described as “hugely concerning”. It means co-ordination between key public services will be ramped up, and the city could seek more government support to deal with pandemic pressures.

Ministers have so far ruled out bringing in extra curbs on socialising before Christmas, although Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people worried about seeing elderly or vulnerable relatives to take a lateral flow test before they visit.

Dr Will Maimaris, director of public health at Haringey Council, said the Omicron variant of Covid-19, which is more transmissible than the Delta variant, was “spreading rapidly in the community” but booster jabs offered “good protection” against the new strain.

Dr Maimaris added: “To slow down the rate of transmission of Omicron in the community, we all must play our part. In addition to complying with the government’s latest guidance, such as the mandatory wearing of face coverings in most indoor public places and working from home if we can, we should also be very careful about mixing in crowded indoor settings. Please also remember to take a lateral flow test before meeting up with others outside of your household.

“As Christmas approaches, we all need to be especially careful if we’re planning on spending time with older relatives or people who are clinically vulnerable. For those of you who have yet to get your first or second vaccine jab, it’s not too late.

“The vaccine is our best defence against any of the Covid-19 variants, and getting your first, second or booster vaccine will offer you some protection against serious illness, infection and help prevent passing it on.”