THE number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 recorded on the Isle of Wight has risen sharply again today (Thursday).

Today's delayed update takes the month's cases to more than 3,000 — with almost ten months of previous testing having yielded 1,679 cases.

According to figures published by Public Health England, a further 198 cases have been reported.

The cumulative total for the Isle of Wight now stands at 4,770. In January alone, there have been 3,091 recorded cases.

Yesterday (Wednesday), 170 positive cases of the virus were recorded, and 84 the day before.

The highest daily increase since records began was on Sunday, January 3 — when 459 new cases were added.

Isle of Wight County Press: Cases by specimen date.Cases by specimen date.

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 for the Island, though five days behind, has dropped to 1,110.2 ­— a decrease on yesterday's figure of 1,171.6.

Earlier today, the first locally issued Covid compliance fines were confirmed for an Isle of Wight gym, with two people fined £1,000 each. 

Ninety per cent of Covid cases on the Isle of Wight are now through the new strain of the virus.

The variant, which started in Kent and has worked its way across the South, has seen coronavirus levels rocket, moving it from one of the safest areas to having one of the highest case rates in the UK in just a few days.

More Isle of Wight deaths resulting from Covid were confirmed earlier today.