Coronavirus infection rates continue to fall across all Suffolk and Essex districts.

Public Health England data covering the seven days to January 17 showed Ipswich's infection rate dropped to 518.6 cases per 100,000 from 672.7 on January 10.

Ipswich still has the highest Covid-19 infection rate in the county, followed by East Suffolk, where there were 412.5 cases per 100,000 people – down from 422.5 as of on January 10.

Data covers the seven days up to January 17, compared with the seven days to January 10.

In Babergh, the infection rate has fallen from 522.6 cases per 100,000 people to 369.4.

Case rates also fell in the seven days to January 10 in West Suffolk (292.7 from 410.0) and Mid Suffolk (318.6 from 361.9).

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

Data for the most recent four days (January 18 to 21) 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 was found in Uttlesford, where there were 406.4 cases per 100,000 people – down from 570.7.

The district of Tendring has the highest numbers of those infected, with 829.7 positive cases per 100,000 people – down from 1,142.2.

Cases in Colchester (583.4 from 758.1), Braintree (541.9 from 846.0) and Maldon (475.9 from 716.2) all dropped from the previous week.

Knowsley in Merseyside continues to have the highest rate in England, with 1,612 new cases recorded in the seven days to January 17 – the equivalent of 1,068.5 cases per 100,000 people – but down from 1,367.5 cases per 100,000 people in the seven days to January 10.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 31 (10%) have seen a rise in case rates, 283 (90%) have seen a fall and one remains unchanged.


It was also revealed today that 53,424 have been vaccinated up to January 17, in Suffolk and north Essex – with 5,914 receiving the second dose.