Covid-19 cases are approaching zero in some parts of Harrow and Brent as total numbers in both boroughs continue to drop.

Latest figures from the Government showed in the seven days prior to March 11, there were fewer than three recorded cases in five Harrow regions – Canons Park, Pinner Green, Harrow Weald, Rayners Lane South, and Hatch End North.

In neighbouring Brent, the same data was presented in Kensal Green, Dudden Hill, Neasden, Cricklewood Anson Road, Welsh Harp, Forty Lane, and Alperton East.

On the whole, the number of positive coronavirus tests in north-west London has decreased as lockdown restrictions remain in place.

Across Harrow, just 20 people tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday (Wednesday, March 16), while over the past week there were 144 positive tests in the borough – a drop of 15.3 per cent when compared to the previous seven-day period.

In Brent there were 19 positive tests yesterday, though the weekly figure of 164 represented a drop of just 1.2 per cent when measured against statistics from a week earlier.

The rates per 100,000 residents also continue to go down – Harrow’s figure of 62.1 and Brent’s of 47.9, both rolling seven-day rates recorded on March 11, are a stark contrast to those put out at the peak of the pandemic in January, which were 993.8 and 1,137.2 per 100,000 people, respectively.

Despite these encouraging signs, supported further by the ongoing rollout of the vaccination programme, councillors and council officers have urged residents to continue to follow government guidance.

In a newsletter sent out at the weekend, Cllr Graham Henson (Lab, Roxbourne), leader of Harrow Council, said everyone must be wary to avoid a repeat of infection spikes seen throughout the course of the pandemic.

He said: “I can’t emphasise enough how much we must not ease any of the precautions we are taking – last December showed how quickly this virus can come back.

“The more people mix, the greater the risk of catching and spreading coronavirus.

“With more people being vaccinated, the more asymptomatic people there will be and that’s why it is so important to still get tested twice weekly.”

And it comes as some parts of Harrow and Brent were subject to surge testing measures in response to identification of the ‘South African’ variant of the virus.

The roadmap out of the latest national lockdown got underway earlier this month with the reopening of schools, and restrictions are set to be relaxed further on March 29.