Northampton has an overall rate of 70.8 per 100,000 people according to latest government figuresNorthampton has an overall rate of 70.8 per 100,000 people according to latest government figures
Northampton has an overall rate of 70.8 per 100,000 people according to latest government figures

Ten areas in and around Northampton with two Covid cases or less in the last week

Public health officials say lockdown is working, but people still need to get tested to keep virus at bay

Health chiefs have underlined the need to keep getting tested with less than two weeks to go until the next step in easing lockdown restrictions on March 29.

Covid-19 cases have continued to fall to the point where seven out of 24 neighbourhoods in and around Northampton saw two or fewer in the latest seven day period covered by government figures.

The seven are Broughton, Briar Hill & Hunsbury Hill, Eastfield, Kingsley Park & Racecourse, Kingsthorpe, New Duston West, and Overstone Lodge,

Just outside the borough, residents in three rural areas around the villages of Cogenhoe, Hackleton, Denton, Brixworth, Spratton, Walgrave and Moulton have also seen two positive tests or fewer.

Just one neighbourhood, Stornton & Sixfields, saw a rise in cases with 18 of the 159 positive tests produced by borough residents between March 4 and March 10.

■ Figures are taken from an interactive map HERE where anybody can enter a postcode to find the current infection rates in their local area.

Analysts do not publish data for smaller areas with fewer than three cases to protect individuals' identities.

Last week's county-wide figures showed new cases declining steadily and reaching a point 71 per cent lower than the first week in February.

County Council public health consultant Rhosyn Harris said: "Getting people tested is still the key message, even if you don't have systems.

"Twice-weekly lateral flow tests are available for a large chunk of people who can't work from home, either at community test centres across the county or using home-testing kits.

"They are also free so please don't waste your money by going online to buy one, particularly when you can't be sure of the quality of the test."

Lateral flow tests are designed to pick up people who have the virus but don't know it because they have no symptoms.

Five community based testing sites are at Lodge Park Sports Centre and Hazelwood Neighbourhood Centre in Corby, Danes Camp Leisure Centre in Northampton, Brackley Leisure Centre and Redwell Leisure Centre in Wellingborough. Appointments can be booked HEREonline.

Adults with school-age children are also able to get rapid tests from collection points across the county found HERE on the NHS website.

The seven are Broughton, Briar Hill & Hunsbury Hill, Eastfield, Kingsley Park & Racecourse, Kingsthorpe, New Duston West, and Overstone Lodge,