Four areas in south Essex have seen week on week rises in their Covid infection rate.

Latest figures from the Government show Southend, Basildon, Rochford and Thurrock all saw a climb in case numbers in the seven days to April 25.

The figures are based on the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in either a lab-reported or rapid lateral flow test, by specimen date.

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

They show the rate in Southend has hit 12.6 cases per 100,000 people, up from 10.4. 

In the seven days there were 23 cases recorded. 

Basildon saw a similar rise with 24 new cases and a rate of 12.8. This was up from a rate of 11.2 cases per 100,000 for the seven days previously. 

Rochford's infection rate rose from 8 to 10.3 cases per 100,000 people. 

Thurrock saw the biggest leap going from a rate of 10.9 cases per 100,000 people to 14.9. 

There were 26 new cases confirmed in the seven days to April 25. 

Castle Point was the one area to see a fall from a rate of 14.4 to 11.1 cases per 100,000 people. 

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Of the 315 local areas in England, 149 (47%) have seen a rise in rates, 154 (49%) have seen a fall and 12 are unchanged.

Selby in North Yorkshire continues to have the highest rate, with 97 new cases in the seven days to April 25 – the equivalent of 107.0 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 56.3 in the seven days to April 18.

North Lincolnshire has the second highest rate, up from 52.2 to 72.6, with 125 new cases.

Kirklees has the third highest, up from 59.1 to 70.7, with 311 new cases.

The five areas with the biggest week-on-week rises are:

  • Selby (up from 56.3 to 107.0)
  • Hyndburn (28.4 to 70.3)
  • North Lincolnshire (52.2 to 72.6)
  • Chiltern (6.3 to 26.1)
  • Waverley (12.7 to 30.1)