BOTH Southend and Basildon are recording more than 1,000 Covid cases a week for the first time since the height of the second wave.

The latest figures show Southend saw 1,026 new cases of the virus confirmed in the week up to November 24.

The last time it recorded more than 1,000 infections in a week was back on January 22.

Basildon saw 1,008 new cases recorded in the week to November 24 – the first time it hit four-figures since January 20.

Both have seen a sharp rise in infections in recent weeks, with some neighbourhoods seeing a sudden surge in the past seven days.

Greate Wakering and Foulness now has the worst localised infection rate in south Essex, with 1,254 cases per 100,000 people.

It recorded 99 new cases in the latest seven-day period.

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Both West Shoebury and Eastwood also recorded more than 90 new cases in the past week.

The worst affected neighbourhood in Basildon is Laindon East and Lee Chapel North where 62 new cases have been recorded.

It comes as face masks have become mandatory in shops and on public transport in England from today due to the discovering the Omicrom variant of coronavirus.

More than a dozen of cases of the variant have been identified in the UK so far, including one in Essex.

Experts fear the variant may be more infectious than previous ones, and may be less effective against the vaccine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due hold a press conference from Downing Street later today where he will provide an update on the new variant.