Coronavirus cases in one Salisbury area are continuing to rise, but no specific outbreak has been identified, the council has confirmed.

In recent weeks, infections have been on the rise pretty much everywhere across the Wiltshire Council area.

But the rise has been particularly sharp in Laverstock, Bodenham and Coombe Bissett where 22 new infections were picked up in one week alone.

It is the area in Wiltshire with the biggest increase.

Read more: Sharp rise in Covid cases in Laverstock

'No outbreaks'

According to Wiltshire Council, no outbreaks have been identified in the area, which makes it harder to determine what the increase may be linked to.

Asked whether any schools or care homes were behind the sudden increase, Public Health Consultant Rachel Kent denied either was to blame.

She said: "It certainly isn't a school or a care home as I know we haven't had any outbreaks in care homes and we haven't got school cases there.

"I don't know the details for Laverstock but normally if there is a linked setting we'd be made aware of it."

The absence of a specific outbreak means the increase is likely to have been caused by community transmission as, as Mrs Kent said, "I'm not aware of anything specific [going on] in that area".

The increase

According to the latest figures from Public Health England, Laverstock, Bodenham & Coombe Bissett had a total of 27 cases in the week to June 11.

It's an increase of 22 cases on the week before.

This means the rate of new cases has soared to 297.6 per 100,000.

Salisbury Journal:

Across the rest of Wiltshire the increase has been more modest, though it remains steady.

A total of 165 infections were picked up in the latest weekly period, 95 more than the previous week.

The rate of new cases stands at 33 per 100,000.

Delta variant 'will become dominant'

Part of the increase will inevitably be down to the Delta variant, previously known as the Indian variant.

Although this week it is "not the dominant strain", it is expected to become so "within a week or two".

Read more: Delta variant 'will become dominant' in Wiltshire

The spread of the virus mutation is responsible for the delay to Stage 4 of the roadmap out of lockdown, which in turn has forced organisers of the summer Solstice at Stonehenge to call off in-person celebrations.

A total of 41 Delta variant cases have been detected in Wiltshire so far, according to the latest data.

The figures are due to be updated on Friday.

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