FIGURES show that out of the 211 Covid-related care home deaths registered in the county since the start of the pandemic, a total of four were in the Maldon district.

The county numbers do not include care home deaths in Thurrock or Southend as these are separate unitary authorities.

Forty-five care home residents died of Covid-19 were registered in Essex in one week at the height of the outbreak – the week ending 24 April.

The terrible toll of coronavirus in care homes up and down the country has caused public outcry. It has been announced this week that the number of deaths in individual care homes will not be released to avoid the business and other consequences this could have.

The four care home Covid-19 deaths come in the context of a total of 35 people dying of the disease throughout the district.

Total confirmed coronavirus cases in Maldon grew by three in the seven days up to Wednesday, 26 August, taking the total confirmed cases to 148.

Public health chiefs stress the importance of keeping to social distancing guidelines and following the government's Covid prevention guidelines in order to help control the spread of the virus.