CORONAVIRUS cases have tripled in one week in three parts of Basingstoke, government data reveals.

The Viables area has seen 92 new cases in the seven days to January 5, which is almost triple the week beforehand.

It means it has a rolling rate of 1,174.5 cases per 100,000 population, making it one of the highest areas in the country.

And in South Ham and East Oakley, cases have more than tripled compared to a week ago.

It comes as medical officials have warned that it is currently the 'most dangerous time' of the pandemic.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, told the BBC that the next few weeks will be "the worst weeks of the pandemic" for the NHS.

“This new variant is really pushing things in a way that the old variant – which was already very bad – was not able to," he said.

“So, we have a very significant problem … this is a serious problem and it is rising in every part of England.

“The next few weeks are going to be the worst weeks of this pandemic in terms of numbers into the NHS.”

In Basingstoke, coronavirus cases are continuing to rise.

Viables' rolling rate of 1,174.5 means the virus is spreading quicker there than anywhere else in Hampshire, outside of the hotspot of Rushmoor.

The area is a 'Middle Layer Super Output Area' (MSOA) and contains much of southern Brighton Hill (around Sullivan Road), Cranbourne, and the areas around Brighton Hill Retail Park, Viables Industrial Estate and Queen Mary's College.

Basingstoke Gazette: Viables has the highest rolling rate in Hampshire outside of Rushmoor.Viables has the highest rolling rate in Hampshire outside of Rushmoor.

92 new cases have been recorded in that area, which is 61 more than the previous week.

Viables had seen a spike in mid-December, before its rolling rate reduced again.

In South Ham and West Ham, 52 new cases have been recorded, an increase of 35 on the week before.

And in East Oakley, there have been 41 new cases in the seven days to January 5, giving it the second highest rolling rate in the borough.

But there is better news from the rural areas surrounding Basingstoke.

Rolling rates are dropping in some of the areas that surround the town, including: Woolton Hill, Burghclere and Bishops Green; Kingsclere and Heath End; Overton and North Waltham.

Meanwhile in Bramley, Sherfield and the Sherbornes, the coronavirus outbreak there, reported by The Gazette last month, is shrinking.

The area recorded 48 new cases, but this was down seven on the seven day period before.

Its rolling rate (508.2) is now below the national average.

All the MSOAs in Basingstoke and Deane, their rolling rate in the seven days to January 5, the number of new cases in that time, and the change on the week prior.

  • Viables - 1174.5 (92 new cases, up 61)
  • East Oakley - 754.4 (41 new cases, up 28)
  • Houndmills & Oakridge - 697.1 (52 new cases, up 17)
  • Basingstoke Central, Black Dam & Eastrop - 687.9 (53 new cases, up 30)
  • South Ham & West Ham - 666.9 (52 new cases, up 35)
  • Brighton Hill - 664.4 (48 new cases, up 22)
  • Popley - 582.2 (81 new cases, up 9)
  • Kings Furlong - 554.5 (47 new cases, up 18)
  • Bramley, Sherfield & the Sherbornes - 508.2 (48 new cases, down 7)
  • Hatch Warren - 499.5 (43 new cases, up 16)
  • Winklebury & Rooksdown - 475.6 (50 new cases, up 17)
  • Buckskin & Worting - 465 (35 new cases, up 10)
  • Old Basing & the Candovers - 439.5 (34 new cases, up 13)
  • Chineham - 404.4 (31 new cases, up 7)
  • Kempshott - 395.5 (28 new cases, up 18)
  • Daneshill & Little Basing - 384.9 (32 new cases, up 8)
  • Whitchurch & Ashmansworth - 354.5 (26 new cases, up 5)
  • Tadley West - 327.1 (24 new cases, down 5)
  • Tadley East, Pamber & Silchester - 311.4 (24 new cases, up 2)
  • Woolton Hill, Burghclere and Bishops Green - 303.3 (23 new cases, down 17)
  • Kingsclere & Heath End - 234.2 (17 new cases, down 8)
  • Overton & North Waltham - 219.7 (15 new cases, down 6)