Covid cases are on the increase again in Wiltshire after a decline in previous weeks. 

The Wiltshire case rate for the seven days leading up to January 20 was at 860.8 per 100,000 people, a steady increase since the seven day rate on January 15 which was 753.1. 

Prior to then, cases in the county this month were generally following a nationwide downwards trend with speculation Omicron may have 'peaked' in the UK. 

The UK average case rate also went up slightly in the latest seven-day-period, to reach an average of 938.2 cases per 100,000 people. 

In yesterday's press conference, Wiltshire Council's Public Health Director Kate Blackburn said that although we might be past 'a peak' they don't know whether it is 'the peak' and that cases are particularly high in Wiltshire schools. 

This aligns with an 'uptick' in Covid cases health officials predicted as schools returned from the Christmas holidays at the beginning of this month.

READ MORE: More than 2,000 pupils infected with Covid across Wiltshire, health boss warns

What is the Covid situation in Wiltshire?

In the latest seven day period, 4339 cases were recorded in the week up to January 20 which is an increase of 10.7% from the previous period (the week leading up to January 19). 

This upwards trend in new cases has been reflected in two thirds of the 62 individual areas in Wiltshire, which means Covid cases have gone up in 42 areas.

The areas with the highest amount of new cases are Tidworth and Ludgershall (66 new cases), Amesbury (41) and Potterne and Rowde (35). 

Potterne and Rowde saw an 85.4% increase in cases over the latest period, which is the highest change in any Wiltshire area, with five areas also recording increases of 50% or over. 

In 20 Wiltshire areas, the case rate is higher than the UK average of 938.2 cases per 100,000 people for this period. 

Durrington and Bulford has the highest case rate at 1557.6 cases per 100,000 people, with Tidworth and Ludgershall having the second highest case rate at 1435.6.

Tidworth and Ludgershall also had by far the highest amount of total Covid cases at 278. 

Covid restrictions easing from January 27

The government's decision to ease Covid rules from January 27 have been supported by Wiltshire Council. 

These measures include it no longer being compulsory to wear masks in most settings, although masks will still be required in Salisbury District Hospital. 

Mask wearing in schools was made optional last week, although some Wiltshire schools still need this measure. 

Wiltshire Council's Public Health Director Kate Blackburn said: "Covid-19 is unlikely to go away and will continue to be part of our lives in one way or another and we have to learn how to live with it, but live with it safety.

"We’ve got a lot of tools at our disposal which include vaccinations, lateral flow tests, the continued support from our local people, and hopefully that means we can get those Wiltshire case rates down to a manageable level as we go through the rest of of the winter period.

“Our ask really is that people continue to be responsible, as we head into this next phase of the pandemic, and not undo all of the good work that we’ve got to at the moment. 

“Hopefully that will mean everyone living a more normal life, but just being cautious that some people really are more vulnerable to Covid 19 than others and we have to make our decisions with that in mind.”

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