CORONAVIRUS cases have surged in several south Essex neighbourhoods in the past week, the latest figures show.

All boroughs and districts in the region have recorded a week-on-week fall in infections – a trend seen across most of the country.

Despite this, some localised areas have seen a sharp rise in infections, with the number of new cases recorded rising by more than 50 per cent in the past week.

The areas are also recording infection rates per 100,000 people which are significantly higher than the average for south Essex.

Those areas are:

Langdon Hills

86 new cases in the week ending November 11

Increase of 49 cases (132%)

Infection rate: 929.8

Rayleigh North West

47 new cases in the week ending November 11

Increase of 17 cases (56%)

Infection rate: 510.9

Rayleigh North East

44 new cases in the week ending November 11

Increase of 17 cases (63%)

Infection rate: 533.7

Canvey Island Winter Gardens

33 new cases in the week ending November 11

Increase of 12 cases (57%)

Infection rate: 458.3

Chalvedon

36 new cases in the week ending November 11

Increase of 14 cases (63%)

Infection rate: 432.8

It comes as the head of the NHS said preparations are being made for annual Covid booster jabs.

It is still not clear whether Covid-19 vaccine top-ups will be needed every year – similar to the annual winter flu jab programme – but the NHS is already putting plans in place should it be required to deliver a yearly vaccine campaign, Amanda Pritchard said.

The chief executive of NHS England also suggested that there could be “further expansions” to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice on vaccines.

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On Monday, the JCVI recommended that the booster programme should be extended to include all adults aged 40 and over, as well making new recommendations for second jabs for 16 and 17-year-olds.

In a speech to the NHS Providers annual conference, Ms Pritchard said: “We had the latest advice yesterday from the JCVI on extending (boosters) to the over-40s, as well as giving second doses to 16 and 17 year olds, and I think we can expect further expansions in the future.

“We are already thinking about how we can do annual booster vaccines, if they are needed.”

Ms Pritchard urged people to take up vaccination invitations “as soon as possible” when called, highlighting that a third of people take between two and five weeks to come forward and book after they are contacted about a booster jab.