Covid update shows lowest daily increase in more than two weeks

Today's update takes the month's cases to 3,914 — with almost ten months of previous testing having yielded 1,679 cases.

According to figures published by Public Health England, 64 new cases have been reported today.

The cumulative total for the Isle of Wight now stands at 5,593.

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Yesterday (Wednesday), 138 positive cases of the virus were recorded, with the previous day recording 66.

The lowest this month was 55 on January 5.

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The graph below shows January's daily Covid updates, with the numbers seemingly dropping during the third lockdown until today's disappointing news.

The highest daily increase since records began was on Sunday, January 3 — when 459 new cases were added.

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The seven-day case rate per 100,000 for the Island, though five days behind, has dropped significantly from 710.3 to 651.8 ­— down to 39th highest in the country according to the Government's interactive map— having been among the highest early last week.

Daily cases by specimen data

Earlier today we reported five further hospital deaths on the Island for people who tested positive for the virus. 

Read more: Five more hospital Covid deaths confirmed

The hospital's ICU is one of the smallest in the country and work has been carried out to extend the number of beds from six - with an aim to create 24.