More than a dozen places in south Essex are virtually Covid free ahead of the reopening of schools next week.

A total of 18 areas in the region have now been removed from the Government’s Covid hotspots map after seeing fewer than three cases in the seven days ending February 27.

It therefore states the virus in those areas is ‘suppressed’.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard: The latest Covid hotspots map for south EssexThe latest Covid hotspots map for south Essex

The areas that now have almost no Covid cases are:

  • Ashingdon
  • Hullbirdge
  • Prittlewell
  • Blenheim
  • Eastwood Park
  • Belfairs
  • Hadleigh North
  • New Thundersley
  • Thundersley Glen
  • South Benfleet
  • Benfleet Appleton
  • Benfleet North
  • Felmore and Bowers Gifford
  • Eversley
  • Canvey Island Newlands
  • Canvey Island Leigh Beck
  • Canvey Island South
  • West Orsett, Bulphan and Horndon-on-the-Hill

The majority of other areas highlighted on the map all have lower infection rates than the national average of 84.4 cases per 100,000 people.

Canvey Island North West saw the highest number of Covid cases recorded in the week ending February 27 with 13.

Its infection rate is 152.

The improving picture in south Essex comes as new figures show nine in 10 adults aged 65 and over have now had their first dose of the Covid vaccine.

Some areas, such as Thorpe Bay, has seen nearly half of its adult population get at least one dose.