Maldon district currently has the lowest seven-day Covid-19 infection rate in the whole of Essex.

In the week up to Monday, 8 March - the latest complete Public Health England figures available - the infection rate for Maldon district as a whole was 17 cases per 100,000 people.

The decrease in case numbers has been dramatic in the second national lockdown, with the district recording an infection rate of more than 1,200 per 100,000 at the peak of the 'second wave' of the pandemic in early January.

As of 8 January, the infection rates (per 100,000 people) for each local authority area in Essex were as follows:

Basildon: 59

Braintree: 47

Brentwood: 55

Castle Point: 27

Chelmsford: 36

Colchester: 56

Epping Forest: 33

Harlow: 60

Maldon: 17

Rochford: 27

Southend: 46

Tendring: 43

Thurrock: 52

Uttlesford: 32

As of 8am on 9 March, there were 198 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients in Essex hospitals. At the peak of the crisis for Essex hospitals, there were 1,411 beds occupied by patients with the disease - a figure recorded on 13 January.

In a statement released today (Friday, 12 March) Councillor John Spence, Essex County Council's Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, said: "The continued decline in Covid-19 rates across the county is extremely reassuring and testament to the combined commitment of Essex residents and businesses.

"I would like to thank every single person living and working in Essex for getting us to this point. It's vital that we keep going, particularly now pupils have returned to school and we've achieved the first big milestone of the Government's roadmap.

"I cannot stress enough how our actions over the coming months will determine whether we as a county, and the country as a whole, manage to stay on track and look ahead to more positive times."