South Essex Covid cases: Sharp rise in Southend and Thurrock

Basildon and Castle Point have also seen cases continue to rise in the seven days to October 5, but there has been a small decrease in Rochford.

Thurrock saw the biggest week on week rise in infections, with a 40 per cent increase.

Here’s the latest data for each borough and district in south Essex for the week ending October 5:

Basildon

477 new cases - Up 15 (3%) on last week

Infection rate – 254.3 cases per 100,000 people

Castle Point

221 new cases – up 15 (7%) on last week

Infection rate – 244.1 cases per 100,000 people

Rochford

253 new cases – down 24 (8%) on last week

Infection rate – 288.7 cases per 100,000 people

Southend

517 new cases – up 85 (20%) on last week

Infection rate – 282.9 cases per 100,000 people

Thurrock

489 new cases – up 141 (40%) on last week

Infection rate – 278.6 cases per 100,000 people

It comes amid a warning from health bosses in Essex that remote learning may be needed in some schools again following a sharp rise in cases.

Director of public health for Southend, Krishna Ramkhelawon, has said he will not insist on a blanket approach to new Covid rules in schools.

But he fears a drop in testing among students is making the problem more difficult.

Mr Ramkhelawon, said: "People aren't testing, and parents aren't checking them.

"We're not sure how they're going to run remote learning alongside usual school running.

"If 50 per cent of the class is self-isolating or unwell, they should move to remote learning.

"We don't want any days lost within education, but if we need to move to remote learning then we should."

As of Friday, the Covid rate among 11-18-year-olds in Southend sat at 840 per 100,000.

The rolling average sits at 268 per 100,000.

While across Essex, the rate among the 11-18-year-olds is at a whopping 1,100 per 100,000, compared to the average of 288 among the rest of the population.