The number of new cases of coronavirus has more than tripled in Basildon in the past week.

The borough saw 95 infections recorded in the seven days ending June 24 – up from just 29 the week before.

It means the infection rate Basildon has now climbed above 50 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since March 4.

The biggest rise in cases has come in Billericay which has seen 27 new cases recorded in the past week, while at the other end of the scale, there are almost no cases in Vange, Pitsea or Bowers Gifford.

These are the latest infection rates for each part of Basildon which are currently highlighted on the coronavirus hotspots map:

  • Billericay Central & Sunnymede – 136.1
  • Billericay Tye Common – 101.1
  • Laindon East & Lee Chapel North – 94.4
  • Bursteads – 85.9
  • Lee Chapel South & Kingswood – 80.2
  • Billericay North East – 70.4
  • Laindon West & Southfields – 64.3
  • Whitmore Way & Fremnells – 64.2
  • Wickford South - 61
  • Langdon Hills – 43.4
  • Billericay Queen's Park – 40.7
  • Laindon Central – 39.5
  • Steeple View & Noak Bridge – 33.3
  • Basildon Central & Pipps Hill – 30.8

Experts say the rise in cases, which has been seen across the country, has largely involved younger people or those who have yet to take up the offer of a vaccine.

Pupil absence in schools due to Covid has also hit a new record high since classes went back in March, figures show.

Data from the Department for Education, covering England, shows that around one in 20 (5.1%) state school pupils did not attend class for Covid-19-related reasons on June 24, up from 3.3% on June 17 and 1.2% on June 10.

Around 279,000 children were self-isolating due to a possible contact with a Covid-19 case, a further 24,000 pupils had a suspected case of coronavirus and 15,000 had a confirmed case.

Ministers “expect to be able to confirm plans to lift restrictions and bubbles as part of Step 4”, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.

Step 4 will see almost all Covid restrictions lifted on July 19.

Answering an urgent question on the impact of coronavirus on young people’s attendance in education, Mr Williamson told the Commons today: “Some restrictions remain in place in schools.

"What I want to see is these restrictions including bubbles removed as quickly as possible along with wider restrictions in society.

“I do not think it is acceptable that children should face greater restrictions over and above those of wider society especially since they have given up so much to keep older generations safe over the last 18 months.

“Further steps will be taken to reduce the number of children who have to self-isolate including looking at the outcomes of a daily contact testing trial as we consider a new model for keeping children in schools and colleges.

“We constantly assess all available data and we expect to be able to confirm plans to lift restrictions and bubbles as part of Step 4.

"Once that decision has been made we will issue guidance immediately to schools.”