THUROCK had just three new cases of coronavirus reported in the latest round of figures released by Public Health England, taking the borough tally to 292, while for a fourth day running the total number of local Covid-19-related deaths has remained static, at 51.

The numbers across the borough are:

South Ockendon 8

Grays and Chafford Hundred 5

Little Thurrock and Blackshots 7

Chadwell St Mary 3

Stanford West 1

Corringham and Fobbing 5

Across the UK, 6,111 confirmed cases of virus infections have crashed the national tally through the 200,000 barrier and have been 649 new deaths reported means another landmark was passed with the total now reaching 30,076.

In the government's daily briefing, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said they were "heartbreaking losses".

On Tuesday, the number of deaths recorded in the UK passed Italy's total, becoming the highest in Europe. The latest total for Italy, which also records deaths of those who have tested positive for the virus, stands at 29,684.

The UK now has the second-highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, behind the United States which has more than 70,000.