Covid: Cases in Oxford now highest in the South East
People aged 18-29 in Oxford are being urged to take a coronavirus test after the number of cases in the area are now the highest in the South East.
Covid-19 testing facilities will continue to be available after cases in the city jumped from 296 to 946 this week (ending 2 July), with 80% falling in this age group.
Figures suggest that Oxford city is now 'firmly' in the top 10 in the entire country.
Three mobile walk-in testing units will be open from Tuesday 6 July - Sunday 11 July between 10am - 8pm:
South Park (St Clement’s end)
The Blavatnik School of Government, Walton Street
Manzil Way Gardens, Cowley Road
Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “Cases in Oxford in the last seven days have risen over three-fold and this comes on top of large rises in recent weeks.
"The overall rise in cases over the last month has been exceptionally steep."
“Oxford is now a Covid hotspot for the whole of England and we have seen nothing like this since the big spike in cases at Christmas.
"We must do all we can to get on top of this situation together working with central government, which is very much aware of the rise we are experiencing."
Case rates across Oxfordshire per 100,000 population:
Cherwell: 176.7
Oxford: 620.5
South Oxfordshire: 206.3
Vale of White Horse: 147.8
West Oxfordshire: 139.2
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said: “The situation in Oxford is very serious.
"We now have the highest rate of infections in the south east, and we are among the highest in the whole of England.
"We have urgently called for extra resources to get on top of the problem. I am asking everyone to help bring the infection rates down.
"80% of the cases are in the 18-29 age group so we are asking everyone in this age group to please come to one of the walk in PCR testing sites that are being deployed this week to make sure you know your Covid status and can self-isolate if positive."
Those aged 18 or over can book a vaccination appointment on the national NHS booking service here.