A RAPIDLY rising rate of infection in the region means that speculation is growing that Thurrock, as well as London and wider Essex may be stepped up to Tier Three Covid restrictions when the government next reviews the coronavirus situation.

The level of infections in Thurrock has soared to 224.3 residents per 100,000 thousand in recent days. That is significantly higher that regions of the country currently in Tier Three., including Middlesbrough (170), Manchester (166) and Bristol (141).

The rise is emanating from London with near neighbours Havering at 346 cases per 100,000 and Barking and Dagenham at 303. Across Essex the infection rate has gone up to 169.4 per 100,000 and in Southend it's 176.4.

Figures released yesterday (Tuesday, 8 December) showed a rise in Thurrock of 499 new cases in the last seven days, up 170 from the previous week - a rise of 51.7 per cent. Yesterday alone saw 63 more cases rewarded.

Across the borough the impact of Covid is growing with two secondary schools, William Edwards and Hassenbrook shut down because of staff shortages and pupil infection and dozens more primary schools are close to the same point.

The only figure not rising in the latest release of figures is the number of deaths, but it is marginal - two related to coronavirus were recorded yesterday, making it six in the previous week, a drop of one from the week before.

In total 3,556 people in Thurrock have now tested positive for Covid-19 and there have been 216 deaths in the borough where Covid-19 is on the death certificate.