THE coronavirus infection rate in Colchester has more than doubled over the course of seven days.

The infection rate in Colchester is now 15.4 cases per 100,000 people with 30 new cases confirmed in the seven day period ending last Monday.

These lastest figures are up from the 7.7 cases per 100,000 people and 15 new cases confirmed over the week ending on September 14.

The figures, for the seven days to September 21, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

In Maldon, the infection rate has fallen from 6.2 cases per 100,000 people.

In the week long period ending on Monday, the district recorded 4.6 cases per 100,000 people, with three new cases of the virus recorded.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 infection rate in Braintree is now 10.5 cases per 100,000 people, with 16 new cases confirmed in the week ending last Monday.

This is up from 3.9 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to September 14, a period when six cases were confirmed.

The infection rate also rose in Tendring, rising to 7.5 cases per 100,000 from 4.8.

Last week's period recorded eleven new cases in Tendring compared to seven the week before

Data for the most recent three days - September 22 to 24 - has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.