MICHELDEVER Primary School has temporarily closed after a number of Covid cases were reported.

The school closed yesterday (Tuesday), with a number of families isolating as a result.

Until Tuesday the area of South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever had seen fewer than three cases for more than three weeks.

But the numbers have started to rise again since yesterday. Today it was reported that in the seven days to Saturday March 13 there were six new cases, an increase of four, or 200 per cent, from the previous seven days, giving a rolling number per 100,000 people of 102.1, well above the national average.

A parish update said: “In the last few days there have been a number of positive cases reported at Micheldever Primary School requiring the school to temporarily close. Local businesses should be especially vigilant for any chain of infections that could relate to the school or other cases locally. 

"Non-symptomatic community testing is available at Winchester Discovery Centre; you can find details and arrange a test via the City Council website.”

Last week the Chronicle reported that Kings’ School had registered at least one case of the virus.

It was unclear whether the case was detected by the school's own testing or from those in the wider community by Public Health England.

The school was the first one in the Winchester district to be affected by Covid for  more than a week.

The South Wonston, Sutton Scotney and Micheldever area joins Whiteley, Knowle and Wickham as a mini-hotspot. Today's figures for the latter show eight new cases in the seven days to March 13, an increase of five, or 167 per cent, for a rolling 68.3, also above the national average.