Number of Isle of Wight Covid cases passes 6,000

Today's update takes the month's cases to 4,338 — with almost ten months of previous testing having yielded 1,679 cases.

According to figures published by Public Health England, 74 new cases have been reported today, the highest increase this week.

The cumulative total for the Isle of Wight now stands at 6,017.

The past two days showed positive signs with 41 and 40 positive cases of the virus recorded on Monday and Tuesday — the lowest increases this month.

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

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

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 for the Island, though five days behind, has dropped once again today from 462.7 to 415.5 This is lower than more than 50 other areas of the country according to the Government's interactive map— having been among the highest earlier this month.

Cases by specimen date

Four further Covid related deaths were recorded at St Mary's Hospital today and five more in carehomes and at home, taking the numbers to 112 hospital deaths and 54 in care homes, four at home and one in a hospice, making the total 171.

• Half of all Island's hospital Covid deaths recorded this month

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.

• Five more Covid deaths in Isle of Wight's community