Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today outline his road-map out of lockdown.

All of south Essex has been under an effective lockdown since December 16 when it was placed under Tier 4 restrictions.

A national lockdown was then enforced in early January, meaning all parts of south Essex have been under the toughest rules for more than two months.

Having once been the country’s coronavirus hotspot at the start of the year, the situation in the region is now looking much encouraging, with infection rates and new cases down significantly.

Here are the latest infection rates per 100,000 people in each part of south Essex and how many new cases were recorded in the seven days ending February 16:

Thurrock

Infection rate – 105

Number of new cases – 183

Area with highest number of cases – Grays Town (17)

Area with fewest number of cases – East Tilbury, Orsett, Bulphan and Horndon on the Hill (both 4)

Southend

Infection rate – 105.4

Number of new cases - 193

Area with highest number of cases – Shoebury (20)

Area with fewest number of cases – Eastwood (5)

Basildon

Infection rate – 88.7

Number of new cases – 166

Area with highest number of cases – Whitmore Way and Fremnells (19)

Area with fewest number of cases – Langdon Hills, Wickford Shotgate, Bursteads, Billericay Tye Common, Billericay Central and Sunnymeads (all fewer than 3 cases)

Castle Point

Infection rate – 101.8

Number of new cases – 92

Area with highest number of cases – Hadleigh South (16)

Area with fewest number of cases – Benfleet Appleton (fewer than 3 cases)

Rochford

Infection rate – 90.4

Number of new cases – 79

Area with highest number of cases – Ashingdown (16)

Area with fewest number of cases – Rochford Town and Canewdon, Rayleigh North East (both fewer than 3)

Echo:

With infections falling across south Essex, the latest figures released by NHS England show more than 90 per cent of over 70s have been given their first dose of the vaccine in the area. 

The figures, which are correct as of February 16, show the Castle Point and Rochford CCG is leading the way with vaccinating the over 70s, with 94.5 per cent having now had their first jab.

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Here is the break down of the number of over 70s who have had their first Covid jab in south Essex:

NHS Basildon and Brentwood CCG 32,960 (92.5%)

NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG 30,567 (94.5%)

NHS Southend CCG 23,763 (89.9%)

NHS Thurrock CCG 15,720 (92.7%)

Health bosses have warned that hospitalisations across the county still remain too high, with Essex County Council last week stating there were 579 Covid patients undergoing treatment in hospital. 

As of Friday, there had been 2,196 coronavirus-related deaths at the trust running Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals - with 48 recorded in the past week.