THE number of new Covid-19 infections in the Maldon district has risen to five in the last seven days.

Figures updated this afternoon (Monday, 21 September) on Essex Counnty Council's Covid tracker tool record the new cases, which mean the current infection rate for the district has moved up to the equivalent of 7.7 cases per 100,000 population.

There have been 151 new cases in the Essex county area in the past seven days, which does not include Southend and Thurrock. This works out to 10.1 per 100,000 people currently infected.

While the figures for the county and district remain low in comparison with some other areas of the UK, especially in the north-east, the rates of new infection are definitely showing an upward trend.

The news follows a briefing to the nation this morning by chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, and the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance.

Dr Mike Gogarty, Essex County Council Director of Wellbeing, Public Health & Communities, said: "The national briefing from Sir Patrick Vallance this morning was important, timely and sobering.

"We are seeing a less steep increase in positive cases of COVID-19 in Essex at the moment, but we are definitely following the national picture.

"I cannot emphasise enough, that it is very, very, important everyone maintains social distancing, ideally at 2m if possible, observe hand hygiene and self-isolate and get a test if they have any symptoms.

"It is the responsibility of everyone in Essex to maintain these protocols and I ask all Essex residents to rigidly uphold these basic hygiene standards as winter approaches."