CORONAVIRUS infections in Southend are starting to fall again following a recent surge.

The borough has the second lowest rate of infection in Southend with 377 cases per 100,000 people.

In the past week, there has been 690 new cases reported – but that’s 76 fewer than the seven days before.

The fall has been witnessed in localised areas of Southend, however there are still some neighbourhoods where cases are still rising.

So here is the latest data for each area for the week ending October 27:

  • Great Wakering and Foulness - 36 cases (down 2)
  • Shoebury – 28 cases (down 16)
  • West Shoebury – 38 cases (down 7)
  • Thorpe Bay – 28 cases (down 2)
  • Southchurch – 39 cases (down 15)
  • St Lukes – 58 cases (up 11)
  • Kursaal – 31 cases (down 1)
  • Southend Central – 26 cases (down 15)
  • Victoria – 46 cases (up 9)
  • Chalkwell – 45 cases (down 9)
  • Westborough – 41 cases (down 6)
  • Prittlewell – 36 cases (down 1)
  • Eastwood – 35 cases (down 9)
  • Eastwood Park – 34 cases (up 6)
  • Belfairs – 44 cases (down 9)
  • Blenheim Park – 73 cases (up 16)
  • Leigh – 41 cases (down 2)
  • West Leigh – 47 cases (down 26)

It comes as new figures show the number of children out of school for Covid-19 related reasons in England rose to nearly a quarter of a million in the week before half-term.

The Department for Education (DfE) estimates that 3.2% of all pupils – around 248,000 children – were not in class for reasons connected to coronavirus on October 21.

This was up from around 209,000 children, or 2.6% of all pupils, on October 14.

Regional data shows Covid-19 related pupil absence was highest in the South West of England at 5% on October 21, compared with 1.6% in London.

Among pupils absent for Covid-19 reasons on October 21, the main reason for absence was a confirmed case of coronavirus, Government figures show.

Approximately 127,000 pupils in England were off for this reason, up from around 111,000 a week before, and approximately 87,000 were off with a suspected case, up from around 81,000 on October 14.

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About 15,000 were absent due to isolation for other reasons, up from around 11,000 on October 14.

A further 12,000 pupils were off due to attendance restrictions being in place to manage an outbreak, up from around 5,000, the Government figures show.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “These statistics show another increase in both pupil and staff absence as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is wreaking havoc in many schools because they have to juggle online and in-person learning for different groups of pupils at different times with fewer staff. It is an impossible situation.

“We hope that the half-term break will have helped to reduce transmission of the virus and reduce disruption but even if this is the case it is likely to be only temporary.”

Overall pupil attendance has fallen from 90% on October 14 to 88.2% on October 21.