THE latest data on Covid-19 in Essex shows Basildon hit the highest number of cases in a week.

Data from Public Health England shows that Basildon recorded 186 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days up to October 15.

This is a 49 case rise from 137 cases recorded in the previous seven days.

Thurrock follows closely behind at 185 cases per 100,000 people, while Southend had 122.

Castle Point saw 81 cases – a rise from 59 the week before – and Rochford saw 54, a rise from 40 the previous week.

The figures, for the seven days to October 15, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

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

Data for the most recent four days (October 16-19) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

The numbers are falling in the areas with the highest rates in England.

In Nottingham, 2,368 new cases were recorded in the seven days to October 15 – the equivalent of 711.3 cases per 100,000 people.

This is down from 1001.2 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to October 8.

Knowsley has the second highest rate, but this is down from 729.1 to 673.5, with 1,016 new cases.

Liverpool is in third place, where the rate has dropped from 684.7 to 606.6, with 3,021 new cases.