BASILDON is no longer recording the highest number of weekly Covid cases in south Essex following a sharp drop in infections.

There were 683 new cases in the borough in the week ending November 5 – that’s down 131 from the seven days before.

It means Southend is now recording a higher number of cases per week (715).

Most areas in Basildon have seen a drop in infections of late, but there were six neighbourhoods which saw an increase in the last week.

They were:

  • Wickford Shotgate – 40 cases (up 5%)
  • Billericay Queens Park – 44 cases (up 30%)
  • Laindon Central – 37 cases (up 5%)
  • Basildon Central and Pipps Hill – 30 cases (up 7%)
  • Barstable – 28 cases (up 21%)
  • Langdon Hill – 38 cases (up 5%)

All other areas in the borough saw cases drop in the past seven days, with Billericay Central and Sunnymede (down 38%), Wickford West (38%), Vange and Pitsea (down 36%) and Laindon East and Lee Chapel North (down 44%) seeing the biggest drop.

It comes as tens of thousands of care home staff who have not had both coronavirus vaccine doses will be unable to legally work in care homes from Thursday as the Government’s mandatory jab policy kicks in.

Staff working in registered care homes in England must have had both jabs to continue in their role from Thursday, unless they are medically exempt.

Official figures due in the afternoon are expected to show that more than 50,000 current staff in care homes for younger and older residents have not been recorded as having received both doses as of November 7 – four days before the deadline.

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Several thousands of these are understood to have self-certified as medically exempt or to have applied for formal proof.

Of those not double jabbed by November 7, it is understood that more than half have had one dose.

Health officials expect the number of double vaccinated staff to have risen in the three days between Sunday and Thursday.

It is unclear how many staff have already quit due to the requirement.