How many people in Daventry have Covid-19 symptoms right now .. and number has DOUBLED, according to app

An app helping scientists study the spread of Covid-19 is reporting a jump in numbers of people with symptoms across Daventry and South Northamptonshire.

Daventry has been among the lowest in the country when it comes to users of the Covid-19 Symptom Tracker reporting feeling unwell.

But latest figures show the number has DOUBLED in the last seven days.

A week ago figures on the live data website used by medics to gather anonymous information, 0.5 per cent of app users in the Daventry District Council area reported suffering Covid-19 symptoms.

Now, that figure is 1.0 per cent among the 2,364 users. That means around 800 people among Daventry's population of 79,000 have symptoms compared to 400 a week ago.

Over the border in South Northamptonshire, 0.7 per cent of people using the app are reporting feeling unwell compared to 0.6 per cent a week ago.

And in neighbouring Northampton the figure is 0.9 per cent according to latest updates on Tuesday (May 12) — up from 0.8 per cent last week.

Nearly 9,000 smartphone users are using the Covid-19 Symptom Tracker app in the three local authority areas to anonymously report if they have been tested for Covid-19, if they feel unwell and their symptoms .. or if they feel fine.

Live data is taken from the 3,000,000-plus users nationwide and shown on a dedicated website and used by medics to track the spread of the deadly bug.

Project leader, Dr Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, said: “We believe that testing is a vital part of the coronavirus response, but it shouldn’t be the only response.

"We need a combination of detailed symptom collection plus tests, and the future is likely to involve a combination of solutions, not one or the other."

“The COVID Symptom app is a really good tool for finding people who suddenly aren’t very well. It can give a good indication based on symptoms whether you have a coronavirus infection. And if you do fall into that category, then you should get tested straight away.”

The app does not guarantee 100 per cent accuracy since some people can contract the virus without feeling unwell and some symptoms being reported might be caused by something other than Covid-19.

But medical teams at King's and Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals in London say the data is invaluable in finding out how the bug spreads and symptoms develop.