The coronavirus infection rate in Southend has dropped to a seven-month low.

Data from the Government’s coronavirus dashboard shows the latest weekly rate of infections stands at 23.5 cases per 100,000 people.

The last time the rate was below that number was on September 22 when it was 21.3.

A spike in infections saw cases hit more than 2,000 per week in Southend in January, but the lockdown and vaccine programme has seen a steady decline in recent months.

The latest data shows only 43 cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the borough in the seven days ending April 9.

Almost half of those cases were recorded in Leigh, which saw a dramatic rise in infections last week.

Echo:

The area saw more than 40 cases recorded in a seven-day period last week, but that number has now dropped to 19.

Elsewhere, cases remain very low across parts of the borough, so much so, that the majority of areas are now virtually Covid-free after seeing fewer than two cases recorded in the week ending April 9.

They are:

  • Shoebury
  • Thorpe Bay
  • Southchurch
  • Kursaal
  • Southend Central
  • Victoria
  • Chalkwell
  • Westborough
  • Prittlewell
  • Blenheim Park
  • West Leigh
  • Belfairs

This means only four areas in Southend are still highlighted on the Covid hotspots map.

The localised infection rates in those areas are:

  • Leigh 181.6
  • West Shoebury 38
  • Eastwood 28.7
  • St Lukes 26.5

Of the 315 local areas in England, 65 (21 per cent) have seen a rise in case rates in the same time period, 242 (77 per cent) have seen a fall and eight are unchanged.

Mansfield in Nottinghamshire continues to have the highest rate in England, with 108 new cases recorded in the seven days to April 10, the equivalent of 98.8 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up slightly from 97.0 per 100,000 in the seven days to April 3.

Bradford has the second highest rate, up slightly from 85.0 to 89.3, with 482 new cases.

Barnsley has the third highest rate, down from 103.7 to 89.1, with 220 new cases.