AROUND two dozen areas in south Essex are now virtually Covid free, according to the latest figures.

The Government’s coronavirus dashboard shows all but six areas in the region now having infection rates below 100.

And the improving picture means more and more areas are being removed from the hotspots map having recorded fewer than three cases in a single week.

There are all the places in south Essex where the infection rate is deemed to be ‘suppressed’ and are no longer highlighted as Covid hotspots:

  • Shoebury
  • Chalkwell
  • Blenheim Park
  • Eastwood Park
  • Rayleigh South East
  • New Thundersley
  • Benfleet North
  • South Benfleet
  • Benfleet Appleton
  • Canvey Island Leigh Beck
  • Canvey Island South West
  • Hullbridge
  • Rayleigh North West
  • Wickford Shotgate
  • Basildon Central and Pipps Hill
  • Billericay North East
  • Billericay Queen's Park
  • Corringham North and London Gateway
  • Stanford East Orsett, Bulphan and Horndon-on-the-Hill
  • East Tilbury
  • Little Thurrock North
  • Little Thurrock South
  • North Ockendon

It comes as Covid-19 case rates have fallen below the symbolic level of 50 cases per 100,000 people in half of all local areas in the UK, new analysis shows.

It is a major turnaround from one month ago, when only six of the 380 local areas were reporting rates under 50 per 100,000.

A handful of areas are even recording rates that are now in single figures.

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The steep fall suggests the various lockdowns in place across the country are continuing to play a key role in reducing the number of new reported cases of coronavirus.

The analysis, which has been compiled by the PA news agency, shows that for the seven days to March 5 a total of 190 out of 380 local authority areas in the UK recorded Covid-19 case rates below 50 per 100,000 people.

Below are the latest Covid rates for each local authority area in south Essex, followed by the number of new cases recorded in the week ending March 5:

  • Southend-on-Sea, 45.9, (84)
  • Basildon, 59.8, (112)
  • Castle Point, 35.4, (32)
  • Rochford, 38.9, (34)
  • Thurrock, 50.5, (88)