Spike in coronavirus infections in West Berkshire linked to school-aged children

COUNCIL officers recently met to discuss a spike in the number of infections in West Berkshire.

In all, 46 new cases were reported in the week ending May 2, with school-age children representing 41.3 per cent of this total.

This was disproportionate even when compared with neighbouring local authority areas, the Local Outbreak Engagement Board meeting heard on Monday.

Over the same time period, this age group made up only 26.9 per cent of new infections Wokingham, and 12.5 per cent in Reading.

The exact sources of the increase are unknown, but West Berkshire Council leader Lynne Doherty (Con, Speen) said that two primary schools had suffered outbreaks.

An individual at Park House School in Newbury also recently tested positive, resulting in a number of children being sent into isolation.

At Monday's meeting communities and wellbeing service director at the district council, Matt Pearce, outlined the nuances of the latest data.

He noted that, as infections were at a relatively low level compared to previous weeks, even a small spike could skew the overall picture.

Mr Pearce said: "All rises are significant and concerning. We did have one specific outbreak in West Berkshire in a school, where there were ten cases.

"To take those ten cases of 46, that becomes 36 – just shows you how the numbers can swing."

However, when the information was mapped, the increase appeared to be geographically dispersed, with infections spread fairly evenly across the district, with no particular 'hotspot' found.

Mrs Doherty added: "We have had a slight upward trend here in West Berkshire. There doesn't seem to be one reason or factor apart from the fact we have had a couple of outbreaks.

"We are really looking to encourage people to do the self testing; and not just of school age children, but the families around those school age people too. Going forward that's going to be quite key.

"There's no shortage of tests available so we want to encourage families of primary age children too."

She added that this week's figures - which aren't yet released to the public - appear to be coming back down again.

"There's nothing that says we have a particular issue going on here," she added.

Mr Pearce said it was something the council will "be watching very closely over the coming days and weeks".

n The lateral flow testing centre at Newbury's Highwood Copse Primary School will close on Tuesday, May 25 and be replaced by a mobile unit based in the town centre.

The mobile testing unit will be running from Thursday, May 27 and people will be able to pick up self-testing kits from there.