The latest coronavirus figures show infection rates across south Essex have dropped in the past week, despite shops, pubs and hairdressers reopening.

Basildon saw the highest number of Covid cases recorded in the region in the seven days up to April 17.

24 new cases were confirmed, meaning the infection rate is 12.8 cases per 100,000 people.

There were 23 new infections recorded in Southend in the same period, 12 in Castle Point and only eight in Rochford.

Thurrock meanwhile saw 14 new cases.

There are only ten neighbourhoods in south Essex currently highlighted on the Government’s Covid hotspots map.

Echo:

Only three of those have higher infection rates than the national average of 25.2.

All the areas highlighted and their localised rates of infection are:

  • Whitmore Way and Fremnells – 75
  • Leigh - 66.9
  • Lee Chapel South and Kingswood – 50.2
  • Benfleet Appleton – 44.2
  • South Chafford – 36.8
  • Felmore and Bowers Gifford – 34.2
  • Eastwood Park – 31.5
  • Hockley and Hawkwell West – 31.2
  • Chalkwell – 28.5
  • Victoria – 23.3

Despite low rates of infection, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned earlier this week that a third wave of coronavirus will hit the UK later this year.

He has set up a taskforce in an effort to find new medicines which can help prevent serious illness.

It is hoped people infected with Covid-19 will be able to take a tablet at home to ease symptoms.

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Mr Johnson said: “As we look at what is happening in other countries, with cases now at record numbers around the world, we cannot delude ourselves that Covid has gone away.

“I see nothing in the data now that makes me think we are going to have to deviate in any way from the road map – cautious but irreversible – that we have set out.

“But the majority of scientific opinion in this country is still firmly of the view that there will be another wave of Covid at some stage this year.

“And so we must, as far as possible, learn to live with this disease as we live with other diseases.”