Covid is in retreat in Southend with cases dropping in many parts of the borough, official figures show.

Some parts of the borough are seeing drops of almost 50 per cent in positive cases.

It comes as residents across Essex have been urged to book a Lateral Flow Test in a bid to avoid the risk of spreading coronavirus.

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There are now 13 fast Covid-19 testing centres in full operation across the county, offering those without symptoms easy access to a fast Lateral Flow Test (LFTs) - otherwise known as a rapid test - to check if they have the virus.

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Here are the Southend areas seeing huge drops:

Great Wakering & Foulness

Total cases: 32 -21 (-39.6%)

Thorpe Bay

Total cases: 23 -19 (-45.2%)

Southend Central

Total cases: 72 -37 (-33.9%)

Westborough

Total cases: 58 -55 (-48.7%)

St Lukes

Total cases: 55 -42 (-43.3%)

Rochford Outer & Hawkwell East

Total cases: 40 -20 (-33.3%)

Belfairs

Total cases: 39 -23 (-37.1%)

Victoria

Total cases: 72 -45 (-38.5%)

Shoebury

Total cases: 57 -23 (-28.7%)