The coronavirus infection rate across north Essex has risen again.

Latest figures show the rate is now 448.4 cases per 100,000 people in Colchester.

During the seven days to December 27 there were 873 people who tested positive for the virus.

In the week previously the rate was 351.3 with 684 new cases.

In Tendring the rate is now 429.2 cases per 100,000 people up from 311.8 in the week before before.

There were 629 new cases.

The figures, for the seven days to December 27, are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

Data for the most recent four days (December 28-31) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 253 have seen a rise in case rates, 60 have seen a fall, and two are unchanged.

Epping Forest continues to have the highest rate in England, with 1,750 new cases recorded in the seven days to December 27 – the equivalent of 1,328.9 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 1,291.7 in the seven days to December 20.

Thurrock has the second highest rate, down slightly from 1,339.9 to 1.298.6, with 2,264 new cases.

Brentwood is in third place, where the rate has fallen from 1,343.8 to 1,268.5, with 977 new cases.

The areas recording the biggest week-on-week jumps are Rushmoor (up from 468.3 to 798.1, with 755 new cases); Watford (up from 566.4 to 890.5, with 860 new cases); and Harlow (up from 832.7 to 1,121.0, with 976 new cases).