The rate of coronavirus infection in Colchester has fallen again latest figures how.
The coronavirus infection rate in Colchester stands at 69.8 cases per 100,000 people with 136 new cases confirmed in a week.
This is down from a rate of 93.5 and 182 new cases in the seven days previously.
The figures, for the seven days to November 20, are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.
In Tendring the infection rate has risen to 71 cases per 100,000 people, with 104 cases confirmed over the same period.
This is up from a rate of 55.9 in the week previously.
A majority of areas in England (269 out of 315) have seen a fall in case rates.
Swale in Kent has the highest rate in England, with 810 new cases recorded in the seven days to November 20 – the equivalent of 539.7 cases per 100,000 people.
This is down from 590.3 in the seven days to November 13.
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Hull has the second highest rate, down from 760.6 to 529.3, with 1,375 new cases.
Thanet is in third place, where the rate has dropped slightly from 525.6 to 491.8, with 698 new cases.
It comes as a top public health expert warned Covid-19 “doesn’t care if it is Christmas”.
- Picture: PA
Professor Devi Sridhar’s comments came as officials from the four UK nations try to concoct a coherent plan to allow families to reunite at Christmas.
Prof Sridhar, who is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, said it was “risky” for people to meet indoors – particularly when there are elderly relatives around and alcohol could be involved.
But she said recent vaccine breakthroughs could mean the country is in a “fundamentally different” position in March.
- Picture PA
“People emotionally want to hear reassuring messages,” she told a joint meeting of the Health and Social Care Committee and the Science and Technology Committee.
“They wanted to hear it over the summer that there would be no second wave, and they want to hear it now that Christmas will be normal.
“I guess I have to speak bluntly – the virus doesn’t care if it’s Christmas.
“We still have pretty high prevalence across the country.
“It is risky for people to mix indoors with alcohol with elderly relatives at this point in time.”
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