Coronavirus cases in Merton have risen by 25 per cent in a week

By Davina Hyde

The latest data shows cases of coronavirus are creeping up in the South London borough of Merton.

One in 1,000 people in Merton tested positive for Covid in the week up to June 18.

In fact, in the seven days to June 18, there were 105.1 cases per 100,000 people or 217 individual cases.

This compares to the previous week up to June 11 when there were 75 cases per 100,000 people (155 cases).

Despite the increase, hospital admissions remain low and there have not been any Covid-19 related deaths all month.

Merton Council’s director of public health, Dagmar Zeuner, said it is thought the majority of cases are the Delta variant, previously called the Indian variant.

Speaking at a Health and Wellbeing Board meeting, Dr Zeuner said: “These are substantial numbers and of obvious concern. The majority of our cases we assume are the Delta variant which is more transmissible.

“There is a little bit of good news as well, infection on its own is only one marker. So far our high infection rates have not tipped over into hospital admissions in any significant way.”

As of June 14 there were 54 patients at hospitals in South West London, which includes Croydon, Merton Sutton, Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth, including 11 who were in intensive care.

Dr Zeuner said that most of the cases were in the younger population.

She added: “In a way that is a bit of a consolation as we know the disease isn’t as severe in young people and at least part of that cohort 16-29 is still unvaccinated by default or not fully vaccinated – this chimes with what we know about the vaccination.”

Merton recorded two Covid-19 deaths in May and there have not been any deaths in June.

Since the start of the pandemic there have been 404 coronavirus deaths in Merton.