The numbers of new Covid-19 infections in several south west London boroughs increased in the latest seven-day period measured in data released by Public Health England (PHE).

Weeks after the presence of the highly infectious South African variant of coronavirus was found in Lambeth and Wandsworth, the numbers of new cases in those boroughs was rising in the seven days up to April 21 according to the PHE data.

There was some speculation that cases were up in south west London boroughs like those closer to the river because that is where so-called 'surge' testing, which requires all residents in certain postcodes to be tested for the virus, took place there in response to the presence of the variant.

That programme, which asked everyone in Wandsworth and Lambeth over 11 years old to get tested, ended Monday (April 26).

Below is a complete list of boroughs in south west London including the number of new cases, percentage change and 'rolling rate' of infections per 100,000 people in the week up to April 21.

  • Croydon: Cases 60, -4.8 per cent, rolling rate 15.5
  • Sutton: Cases 38, +18.8 per cent, rolling rate 18.4
  • Merton: Cases 54, -3.6 per cent, rolling rate 26.1
  • Lambeth: Cases 73, +30.4 per cent, rolling rate 22.4
  • Wandsworth: Cases 105, +31.2 per cent, rolling rate 32.8
  • Richmond: Cases 38, -9.5 per cent, rolling rate 19.2
  • Kingston: Cases 35, -18.6 per cent, rolling rate 19.7
  • Epsom and Ewell: Cases 21, +110 per cent, rolling rate 26.0
  • Reigate and Banstead: Cases 19, +35.7 per cent, rolling rate 12.8