Halton in Cheshire has moved to the top slot of the COVID Symptom Study Watch List this week, making it the one region to watch.

COVID Symptom Study Watch List

‍The COVID Symptom Study app’s Watch List has this week seen a number of new entrants, including the first area in Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Thurrock in Essex, and more regions in the North of England, St Helens, Middlesbrough, Blackpool and Lancashire. Meanwhile, Blackburn with Darwen has fallen from the top spot to sixth in the table while Halton in Cheshire has moved to the top slot, making it the one to watch.  

The aim of the COVID Symptom Study app Watch List is to highlight key areas of concern so that attention can be focused on those areas. When an area of concern is highlighted, increased testing should take place there to help confirm if the situation needs further action such as a localised lockdown. 

Data update

According to the latest COVID Symptom Study app figures, there are currently 1,434 daily new cases of COVID in the UK on average over the two weeks up to 08 August 2020 (excluding care homes). The latest figures were based on the data from 10,988 swab tests done between 26 July to 08 August. A full regional breakdown can be found here.

The latest prevalence figures estimate that 24,131 people currently have symptomatic COVID in the UK. The prevalence data again highlights that the amount of symptomatic COVID nationally has remained stable. The numbers are still higher in the North of England but the numbers have slightly decreased since last week. This figure does not include long-term COVID sufferers.

The COVID Symptom Study app’s prevalence estimate is lower, but still within the confidence bounds of the most recent and smaller ONS Infection survey last week with an estimated 28,300 people (95% credible interval: 18,900 to 40,800) in England during the one week period from the 27 July to 2 August 2020. 

Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, comments: 

“It’s encouraging to see that the numbers are coming down slightly across the UK and that the isolated outbreaks in the North of England appear to be well contained so far. This is further confirmation that we aren’t at the beginning of a second wave and rather, still trying to end the first. The figures also suggest that the outbreaks we are seeing in other countries such as Belgium, France and Spain aren't having an effect here in the UK yet.

On top of this, the hot weather which caused concern by making many flock to crowded beaches and parks doesn’t seem to be having the predicted negative impact. Overall, we are pleasantly surprised by the figures this week which are back down to the early July levels and hope that the good news continues.”