As temperatures fall, COVID-19 is once again on the rise in London and across England.
asserted
COVID-19 → fall → England
However, figures have circulated appearing to show one north London borough has become a coronavirus hotspot.
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borough → circulate → ?
In Islington, the majority (58.3 per cent) of PCR tests were coming back positive, compared to a much lower London-wide average.
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majority → come → average
The statistic prompted Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry to take to social media last week urging constituents to “look after themselves”.
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statistic → prompt → themselves
But the local authority has pushed back on suggestions it is an outlier.
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it → push → suggestions
Figures from the same data period shared by the local MP also showed high levels of positive tests in the neighbouring boroughs of Camden (35 per cent) and Barnet (27 per cent).
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Figures → share → Camden
Across London, average positive PCR results peaked at roughly 12 per cent in early October.
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results → peak → October
The latest data covering up to October 19 show these have fallen to just below 8 per cent.
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these → cover → cent
Islington’s rates have since fallen slightly and now sit behind Camden’s 45 per cent positivity rate.
But the council claims that though confirmed positive test results are comparatively high, the reported levels are not a reliable indicator of the actual picture because the number of tests is limited.
uncertain
number → fall → tests
The 58 per cent figure from the UKHSA refers to 31 cases recorded on October 9, meaning 18 people tested positive that day.
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people → refer → October
By the week ending October 12, the proportion had fallen to 39 per cent: 11 positive PCR results from 28 tests.
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proportion → end → tests
Islington Council’s deputy leader and executive member for health, Cllr Ruth Hayes, said there had been “just under” 50 confirmed cases in the borough over the last month, adding that this was similar to the number of cases confirmed over the same period last year.
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this → say → period
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “UKHSA have recently reported an increase in COVID-19 circulating in the community across London and nationally.
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UKHSA → tell → London
We have seen a similar position in Islington, with an increase in reported cases over the last few weeks compared with the spring and summer.
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We → see → spring
We saw a similar pattern last year, with cases rising with the start of autumn.
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cases → see → autumn
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“This highlights the continuing importance of vaccination for those eligible and of the role of good respiratory hygiene,” Cllr Hayes said.
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Hayes → read → hygiene
Islington’s Public Health department added that testing volumes are now very low, so week-to-week positivity rates can fluctuate significantly and should not be treated as a reliable estimate of borough-wide coronavirus prevalence.
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rates → add → prevalence
However, the local authority has encouraged all Islington residents to get any vaccinations that they are eligible for, and to take action to help stop the spread of viruses.
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they → encourage → viruses
Official advice is for residents to cover their nose and mouth with a disposable tissue every time they cough or sneeze.
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they → cover → tissue
If a person does not have a tissue, they are advised to cough or sneeze into their elbow, rather than their bare hands.
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they → have → hands
“Keep your hands clean, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and liquid soap regularly, or use an alcohol-based hand rub/sanitiser,” Cllr Hayes said.
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Hayes → keep → sanitiser
The UKHSA’s latest surveillance report from Thursday (October 22) shows that over 2 million people (34 per cent) in England aged 75 years or more had received their autumn booster jab, compared to almost 225,000 (15 per cent) people under 75 who have weakened immune systems.
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who → show → systems
London has the highest ICU admissions rate in England for COVID-19, but this remains relatively low.
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this → have → COVID-19
There is also no suggestion from current data that variants like Stratus are leading to more severe illness than other strains, the UKHSA said.
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UKHSA → be → strains
The UKHSA said on October 8 that positive PCR tests and hospital admissions were rising consistently across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as across Europe and the United States, indicating the spike was “not a localised trend”.
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spike → say → Europe
“As we move into winter, colder and wetter weather means people spend more time indoors, which enables the spread of respiratory viruses.
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which → move → viruses
It has also been roughly a year since the last significant COVID-19 wave, so immunity from vaccination and previous infection may be waning in parts of the population, making people more susceptible,” the agency said.
uncertain
agency → wan → population
The Aporia
