MALDON district is now appearing on the Public Health England list of authorities where cases of the 'Indian' variant of Covid-19 have been found - but with less than five cases and the overall infection rate remaining low.

The data table for cases identified in the seven days up to 27 May shows that the district had less than five cases of the variant. Other areas of Essex where cases have been found (again, less than five cases in the seven days to 27 May) include Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Southend, Maldon and Thurrock.

Basildon and Brentwood each had five cases of the variant, deemed a 'variant of concern' by the UK government on 21 April, identified in the same week.

The area covered by Chelmsford City Council had 24 cases identified.

You can find the latest government news on this variant of concern, including links to the data described in this article, at the link [L]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-variants-genomically-confirmed-case-numbers/variants-distribution-of-cases-data#Variant12[L+[here.[.L]

Overall, the total positive case rate for the district remains low, with six cases per 100,000 population in the seven days up to 24 May. This equates to four cases from 18 to 24 May, which is one less than in the previous seven-day period.