COVID cases in Wiltshire have surged by over 50 per cent in the last seven days, official figures reveal and the county’s public health chief says the jump is down to false negative PCR tests.

In the last week, 4,672 new cases of the virus have been recorded among the residents of Wiltshire.

This means that the infection rate in Wiltshire stands at 926.9 cases per 100,000 people.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: Kate Blackburn at City Hall vaccination centre Photo: Alice SmithKate Blackburn at City Hall vaccination centre Photo: Alice Smith

In contrast, last week the same figure stood at 601.7 - just over a 54 per cent increase.

Local cases rates, according to the official figures, continue to be at the highest levels since the start of the pandemic.

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In the run up to Halloween, Wiltshire’s public health team has recommended that trick or treaters take hand sanitiser with them and keep a reasonable distance where possible.

Director of public health in Wiltshire, Kate Blackburn said: “We know life feels like it’s back to normal but we need to continue to be aware that Covid-19 is spreading in the county at the moment much more than we would like.

“We don’t begrudge anyone looking forward to half-term and Halloween, as a lot of activities have been put on hold over the last year and a half, and we know how much they mean to people.

“All we’d ask is that people make informed choices based on their own individual circumstances and continue to take measures to keep each other safe.”

She explained the rapidly rising number of new cases over the past two weeks was down to the false negative PCR tests. These new cases are highest in the 10 to 14 age range with over 4,400 cases per 100,000 people.

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She added that cases were generally high across the 5 - 19 age range because it is a predominantly unvaccinated population. “What we then see is an increase across the parent-age. We’ve got high rates across the 35 to 49 age range.”

According to Mrs Blackburn the number of cases in the over-65s were also higher than the authority has seen for a long time.

“It’s to be expected with restrictions lifting, people mixing more, the weather getting cold and people mixing more indoors – it gives the virus opportunity to spread.

“Undoubtedly the issue with the laboratory with false PCR negative tests – predominantly affecting the south west – meant that people who were potentially infectious went back into the community and seeded the infection. I think that’s why we’ve seen such a big jump in the south west.

“But also we’ve had relatively low case rates throughout the pandemic, so the natural immunity would have been lower than we’ve seen across the country.

Mrs Blackburn added: “Any infectious disease needs a layered preventative approach – no one thing will do it because viruses are very clever. We’ve got the vaccination booster programme and the school-aged vaccination programme and we’re encouraging everyone to take up that vaccination as soon as they’re offered it.”

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Last year, post-October half-term cases rose in the county due in part to sleepovers, Halloween parties and bonfire parties.