THE latest figures show that 562 people in Thurrock have been confirmed as having contracted Covid-19. And the borough death toll is now 145.

The Office for National Statistics has produced a breakdown showing the deaths of 126 people in the borough by the end of May were coronavirus-related and they have given a breakdown by areas of Thurrock.

It is:

Purflet, South Stifford and Lakeside 1

South Chafford 1

Grays, Chafford Gorges and Orsett Road 14

Stifford Clays 12

Little Thurrock North 6

Chadwell St Mary 8

East Tilbury 3

Stanford East 9

Corringham North and London Gateway 7

With just 19 deaths recorded in June and July there is some optimism that the national decline in numbers of cases and deaths is bring reflected in the borough - which is backed up by news that there were no new recorded deaths, in hospitals that are run by Essex NHS trusts, of people who had contracted coronavirus in the latest 24-hour period.

Across the hospitals trusts' region 1,358 patients, who had COVID-19, have died locally since the start of the pandemic.

Nationally there have been 45,300 deaths.