Worthing’s Covid infections almost completely eradicated as cases plummet

Public Health England’s figures show that, in the week ending May 8, only seven new cases were reported in the borough.

That total was nine fewer than the week before and took the infection rate to eight cases per 100,000 people.

The national average is 16 cases per 100,000 people.

The figures show that all of Worthing’s neighbourhoods recorded under three new cases, meaning that the virus has been completely eradicated in some areas.

The encouraging statistics come days before the next phase of reopening out of lockdown, with many indoor activities set to resume on Monday (May 17).

Falling case numbers have been driven in no small part by the NHS’s vaccination programme, which had delivered 62,812 first doses in Worthing as of May 2.

Sadly, 226 people have been reported to have died since the beginning of the pandemic, as of April 30.