Thurrock now has the highest rate in the country after seeing the largest week-on-week jump in England, it was revealed tonight.

The borough had 1,676 new cases recorded in the seven days to December 15 – the equivalent of 961.3 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 349.9 in the seven days to December 9.

Neighbouring Basildon has the second highest rate, up from 566.2 to 924.7, with 1,731 new cases.

Havering in London is in third place, where the rate has risen from 473.5 to 919.7, with 2,387 new cases.

The areas with the biggest week-on-week jumps other than Thurrock are:

  • Rochford (up from 232.4 to 747.4, with 653 new cases);
  • Epping Forest (up from 337.9 to 835.3, with 1,100 new cases);
  • Havering (up from 473.5 to 919.7, with 2,387 new cases)

Here is Saturday’s update from the Press Association of the rolling seven-day rate of new cases of Covid-19 for every local authority area in England.

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

KEY: From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to December 15; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to December 15; rate of new cases in the seven days to December 8; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to December 8.

Thurrock, 961.3, (1676), 349.9, (610)

Basildon, 924.7, (1731), 566.2, (1060)

Epping Forest, 835.3, (1100), 337.9, (445)

Brentwood, 788.1, (607), 368.7, (284)

Rochford, 747.4, (653), 232.4, (203)

Castle Point, 638.4, (577), 272.2, (246)

Southend-on-Sea, 578.3, (1059), 287.8, (527)

Braintree, 508.5, (776), 227.4, (347)

Chelmsford, 482.7, (861), 228.2, (407)

Harlow, 469.8, (409), 251.5, (219)

Maldon, 362.0, (235), 186.4, (121)