Four areas of south Essex are seeing Covid cases and infections rates moving towards levels last seen at the beginning of the January national lockdown.

The latest data from Public Health England shows that the areas of Leigh, Benfleet Appleton, Rayleigh South West and Rayleigh North West have seen rates return to levels similar to the start of the year.

Of those, Leigh recorded the most cases (48) and also the worst infection rate (458.7) with one in every 218 people in the area suffering with Covid, in the seven days to July 9.

Westborough (45) and Belfairs (42) are also recording high levels of Covid cases but they remain someway off what they were at the height of the second wave in January.

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Overall, there were 1,765 new cases recorded in the five south Essex districts and boroughs according to the latest weekly data.

More than 450 have been recorded in both Basildon and Southend, with each borough recording infection rates around 250 cases per 100,000 people.

There were 311 new cases in Thurrock, 296 in Rochford and 232 in Castle Point.

Below we have detailed the region’s six worst areas:

Leigh

The area recorded 48 new cases in the week-to July 9, which was an increase of 28 (140%). This left it with an infection rate of 458.7.

This was more than the week-to January 15, when the area recorded 41 new cases. This left it with an infection rate of 391.8.

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Westborough

The area recorded 45 new cases in the seven days to July 9.

This was an increase of 21 cases (87.5%) from the week before and means the infection rate is 402.1

This remains someway off the figures recorded in mid January, when 90 new cases were recorded and the infection rate was 804.2.

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Belfairs

42 new cases have been recorded in Belfairs in the seven days to July 9 – that’s 31 more than the week before – a 281.8% increase.

The infection rate now stands at 436.3.

This is lower than the infection rate of 550.6 recorded on January 15.

The area had seen 53 new cases in the week leading up to that date.

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Benfleet Appleton

The area is now recording an infection rate of 471.6 after 32 new cases were recorded in the week ending July 8.

That’s an increase of 29 cases – or 966.7% - from this time last week.

It is also higher than the numbers recorded on January 15, when the infection rate stood at 353.7.

There were 24 new cases recorded in that period.

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Rayleigh South West

There were 37 new cases recorded in the area during the week ending July 9.

That’s up 19 (105.6%) from last week and means the infection rate is 414.1.

Back on January 15, the area had recorded 42 weekly cases at an infection rate of 470.1.

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Rayleigh North West

43 new coronavirus cases have been found in the past week in Rayleigh North West.

That’s up 29 (207%) on this time last week. The current infection rate is 466.7.

This is more than the 38 cases recorded in the week ending January 15. The rate of infection on that date was 412.5.

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