A handful of areas in south Essex are now recording three or fewer cases of coronavirus. 

It comes as the Government begins to look at a roadmap out of the third national lockdown. 

Boris Johnson said the Government would provide target dates for sectors to reopen “if we possibly can” when he reveals his road map for releasing lockdown next week.

Speaking to broadcasters in Kent, the Prime Minister said: “If we possibly can, we will be setting out dates.

“And just to help people think about what we’re trying to do on February 22, remember what we did around about this time last year, or a little bit later – we set out a road map going forward into the summer looking a little bit beyond, that’s what we’re going to be trying to do."

The Government's coronavirus map shows how each area in the county has been impacted.

The data can also be compared to show how the number of new cases has changed over different time periods.

Read more:

The latest map, for the seven days to February 9, show four areas in south Essex now have three or fewer cases of covid. 

  • Corringham South (fewer than 3)
  • West Leigh (fewer than 3)
  • Thundersley Glen (fewer than 3)
  • Hadleigh South (3)

Southend's infection rate is now 171.5 cases per 100,000 people with 314 new cases in the seven days to February 8. 

This is down from a rate of 223.3 the week before. 

In Basildon the rate is now 132.5 cases per 100,000 people and in Thurrock it is 153.7 cases per 100,000 people.