CORONAVIRUS cases are rising across Southend – despite infections falling nationally in the past week.

The borough recorded 773 new cases in the week ending November 2.

That was an increase of 94 on the seven days before and means the infection rate has risen above 400 cases per 100,000 people.

Basildon is the only other borough in south Essex that saw a week-on-week rise according to the latest data.

It recorded 840 new cases – 36 more than the week before. Out of the all the neighbourhoods in the two boroughs, Prittlewell saw the biggest rise in cases of 184%.

Infections rose from 26 to 74 in the past week, meaning it now has the highest number of cases in Southend.

There are a number of other areas in Southend which are still recording a high number of cases and infection rates above 400.

They are:

  • Southchurch – 49
  • Thorpe Bay – 38
  • Victoria – 53
  • Westborough – 47
  • Blenheim Park – 56
  • Eastwood – 47
  • Leigh – 46
  • West Leigh – 54
  • Belfairs – 46

It comes as the Prime Minister has again resisted calls to move to Plan B for tackling Covid-19.

He says booster vaccines are the “key thing” as the country enters the winter months.

On a visit to a Hexham General Hospital in Northumberland today, Boris Johnson was asked whether he would heed calls from some public health officials on the need for action.

Mr Johnson said he is often presented with “different scientific advice and different scientists say different things”, adding “we study the data every day, we have reviews with NHS chiefs every day”.

He added: “The key thing you want to do is to reduce those pressures, which are building, on the A&Es, on beds, by encouraging people, particularly the over-50s, to come forward and get your booster jab.”

Read more:

Earlier on, he said of his visit: “I’m here to look at what we’re doing to encourage people to get their booster jabs and that is the single most important thing that the Government can do at the present time.

“Unfortunately, what you’ve got at the moment is a situation in which the waning of the original two jabs is starting to see too many elderly people getting into hospital.

“Sadly, the jabs do wane. We’ve done 10 million booster jabs already and it’s a very effective thing.

“It’s a wonderful thing, people get 95% more protection, so I’m encouraging everybody today to go online if you’ve gone over five months, you can go online and book.”