NEW statistics from Public Health England show how the infection rate across north Essex has fallen over the past week.

The figures, for the seven days to July 30, 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 three days has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.

During the period Colchester reported five new positive cases.

This was an infection rate of 2.6 cases per 100,000 people.

For the previous seven days to July 23 the rate had been 7.3 cases per 100,000 people.

In Tendring there were also five new cases reported during the week.

This gave the district an infection rate of 3.4 cases per 100,000 people down from 12.3 the week before.

In Maldon there was one new case meaning there was an infection rate of 1.6 cases per 100,000 people down from 6.2 the week before.

Braintree saw 10 new cases recorded with an infection rate of 6.6 cases per 100,000 people down from 9.2 the week before.

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Last month health bosses revealed signs of a spike in Covid-19 cases in Clacton and Harwich.

But they said a local lockdown isn't planned for the two coastal towns in north Essex as it stands.

Braintree and Witham Times: Coronavirus testing laboratory

Some areas of the UK have seen lockdown tightened as cases rose. 

In Blackburn with Darwen, the rate has risen slightly from 77.2 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to July 23 to 79.9 in the seven days to July 30.

A total of 119 new cases have been recorded.

Oldham is in second place, where the seven-day rate has jumped from 41.6 to 62.8, with 148 new cases.

Bradford is third, where the rate has risen from 46.9 to 53.4, with 287 new cases.

The rate in Leicester continues to fall, down from 66.2 to 52.6, with 187 new cases.