CORONAVIRUS infections have been rising again across Essex, but figures show there has been little impact on hospitalisations.

Nearly all areas of south Essex have seen cases rise in the past month, with Southend nearly seeing 100 new infections recorded in the past week alone.

Yet despite there being more than 200 cases confirmed in south Essex in the week ending Tuesday, June 22, the number of people in hospital with the virus remains in single figures.

NHS England data shows there were only eight Covid patients under the care of the Mid and South Essex hospital trust as of Tuesday, June 22.

That was up from two the week before, but none of the eight current patients are on a ventilator.

By contrast, there was more than 900 patients with Covid in Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals at the height of the second wave in January.

The latest figures come despite other parts of England seeing a 70 per cent increase in Covid patients in the last four weeks.

Across England there were 1,301 people in hospital with Covid as of June 22, with 229 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

Read more:

Despite the increase, Boris Johnson has said July 19 would very likely remain the date for ending coronavirus restrictions following talks with his new Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

During a campaign visit to in Batley, the Prime Minister told broadcasters: “I had a good conversation yesterday, a long meeting with Sajid Javid the new Health Secretary.

“Although there are some encouraging signs and the number of deaths remains low and the number of hospitalisations remains low, though both are going up a bit, we are seeing an increase in cases.

“So we think it’s sensible to stick to our plan to have a cautious but irreversible approach, use the next three weeks or so really to complete as much as we can of that vaccine rollout – another five million jabs we can get into people’s arms by July 19.

“And then with every day that goes by it’s clearer to me and all our scientific advisers that we’re very likely to be in a position on July 19 to say that really is the terminus and we can go back to life as it was before Covid as far as possible.”