The number of cases of Covid in south Essex has hit nearly 5,000 in a single week.

In the seven days to December 2 the area recorded 4,904 cases.

Of these 1,327 were in Southend, there were 1,279 in Basildon and 1,082 in Thurrock.

Castle Point recorded 650 and Rochford 566.

The Government's interactive Covid map breaks down each area and colour codes them depending on how many cases there are.

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In total 14 areas of south Essex are  now highlighted dark purple which means the rate is more than 800 cases per 100,000 people.

They are:

  • Laindon East & Lee Chapel North – 93 cases, rate of 1,088.1
  • Canvey Island North – 90 cases, rate of 1,058
  • West Shoebury – 109 cases, rate of 1,046.6
  • Laindon West & Southfields – 97 cases, rate of 1,039.2
  • Laindon Central – 105 cases, rate of 1,037.4
  • North Ockendon – 119 cases, rate of 1,014.4
  • Southchurch – 98 cases, rate of 982.3
  • South Ockendon – 98 cases, rate of 912.6
  • Thorpe Bay – 84 cases, rate of 905.1
  • Benfleet North – 69 cases, rate of 872.1
  • Billericay Tye Common – 68 cases, rate of 858.3
  • Great Wakering & Foulness – 66 cases, rate of 836.2
  • Canvey Island Newlands – 57 cases, rate of 835.8
  • Eastwood – 86 cases, rate of 811.4

Of the 377 local areas in the UK, 280 (74%) have seen a week-on-week rise in rates, 94 (25%) have seen a fall and three are unchanged.

Torridge in Devon continues to have the highest rate in the UK, with 665 new cases in the seven days to December 3 – the equivalent of 967.7 per 100,000 people.

This is down from 1,079.8 in the seven days to November 26.

Ashford in Kent has the second highest rate, up from 676.2 to 872.4, with 1,143 new cases.

Reigate and Banstead in Surrey has the third highest rate, up from 664.7 to 871.1, with 1,300 new cases.