Covid-19: Epping Forest has lowest coronavirus rate in Essex

In January, the district recorded had the second highest peak in the county in mid January – and was the worst in the country around Christmas – with a rate of infection above 1,400.

But now, the seven-day infection rate stands at just 66.8 after 88 new infections were confirmed between February 8 – 14.

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

Epping Forest had the second highest infection rate peak in the county. Photo: Essex County Council

Data for the most recent four days has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

In the seven days to February 7 the rate of infection in Epping Forest was 128.3 and has more than halved in a week.

Essex’s highest rate of infection can be found in Tendring; in the seven days to February 14 there were 271 new cases in the district – a rate of 184.9.

Harlow has posted the second highest rate of infection, currently 129.8 after 113 new infections were recorded in seven days.

The rate is falling fastest in Colchester. In the seven days to February 7 an infection rate of 188.5 was posted, in the seven days to February 14 that figure fell to 88.3.

Infection rates are falling across the county. Photo: Essex County Council

The rate of infection for Essex as a whole is just above 110 having peaked at 1,0686 on December 31.

The rate of infection 20 – 49 year olds, which only a month a go greatly outstripped other age groups, has fallen in line with the others age categories while the rate in under 20s is now almost identical to that of over 70s.

The rate of infection in different age groups has begun to standardise. Photo: Essex County Council

There are 579 patients being treated of Covid-19 across all Essex hospital trusts, more than half the peak of 1,389 patients recorded on January 10.

County hospital admission data for Covid-19 shows numbers falling but at a slower rate than case numbers - experts say hospital figures usually lag two weeks behind case figures. Photo: Essex County Council

Of the 315 local areas in England, 13 have seen a rise in case rates, 301 (96 per cent) having recorded a fall. One is unchanged.

Corby in Northamptonshire has the highest rate in England, with 229 new cases recorded in the seven days to February 14.

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