Coronavirus infection rates have continued to plummet in all Suffolk and Essex districts, despite the UK recording the highest number of deaths in a single day.

New Public Health England data, which covers the seven days up to January 16, showed Ipswich's infection rate has dropped the most in Suffolk, from 724.5 cases per 100,000 on January 9 to 508.4.

Despite this drop, Ipswich still has the highest Covid-19 infection rate in the county, closely followed by East Suffolk, where there are 408.5 cases per 100,000 people.

The data covers the seven days up to January 16 and compares them with the seven days to January 9, to show how case rates are changing during the third lockdown.

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In Babergh, the infection rate has fallen from 530.2 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days up to January 9, to 386.8.

The case rates in West Suffolk (304.4) and Mid Suffolk (321.5) both fell from the seven days up to January 9.

The figures are based on tests carried out in laboratories and in the wider community.

Data for the most recent four days (January 17 to 20) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

Meanwhile, in Essex, the lowest Covid-19 infection rate can be found in Uttlesford, where there are 411.9 cases per 100,000 people.

The district of Tendring has the highest numbers of those infected, with 845.4 positive cases per 100,000 people.

Cases in Colchester, Braintree and Maldon all dropped from the previous week.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 17 (5%) have seen a rise in case rates, 296 (94%) have seen a fall and two are unchanged.

The data comes as the UK saw the highest highest number of deaths recorded on a single day – with 1,110 Covid-19 fatalities, eclipsing the previous peak of 1,073 on April 8, 2020.

A record 1,820 further deaths within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 were reported as of Wednesday, although there is a time lag between a patient dying and appearing in the statistics.