A Bristol neighbourhood which previously had one of the highest coronavirus rates in the entire country is now recording the lowest rate in the entire South West of England.
Public Health England is publishing a weekly update outlining the number of new cases reported in each seven-day period for every area of the country, as well as an interactive heat map showing the most affected areas.
The rolling data reports the new cases being confirmed in any seven-day period, with the data published on Friday, February 25 covering the period up until February 20. The figures for the intervening five days are not included as they are incomplete and likely to be altered.
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In the last two months, Barton Hill had one of the worst coronavirus rates in Bristol. The area was reporting a fluctuating rate of between 1,000 and 2,000 cases per 100,000 people in December, and by January and was regarded as one of the most likely places to catch the virus as the Omicron wave surged.
However, fast forward to the end of February and Barton Hill is now the least-infected place in the entire South West of England according to the coronavirus case rates. In the most recent seven days of data, just 179.1 cases per 100,000 people were recorded in Barton Hill.
The most recent week of data shows there were just 15 cases reported in Barton Hill. This averages out to just over two new cases a day despite the area having the worse vaccination rate in the Bristol region.
In Barton Hill, only 62.8 per cent of residents have had their first jab. 54.6 per cent of people have had their second dose while only 31.4 per cent have received their booster vaccination. Despite this, they now have one of the lowest rates in the country.
Government data largely relies on people testing for the virus and those test results being recorded if they come back as positive. Given the lifting of restrictions and end of the requirement to self-isolate, some people have questioned the accuracy of figures going forward. In its 'living with covid' document last week, the Government itself said statistics will become less reliable once free testing ends in April.
Where is the data coming from?
You can see the latest national data on the online Covid cluster map. The map uses data from Public Health England's "second generation surveillance system". The map highlights which areas of the nation have three or more confirmed cases of the virus and colour co-coordinates the areas by how many cases they have.
The map is divided into sections - officially known as 'Middle Super Output Areas'. Each section is coloured a different shade depending on how many positive Covid test results have been recorded in that area.
The darker the colour on the image, the more positive test results have been recorded. Data for the most recent five days has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases recorded.
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