THURROCK has been highlighted in new statistics as one of the worst areas in Essex affected by the coronavirus variant Omicron.

The UK Health Security Agency has released a regional breakdown of confirmed cases of the Omicron variant.

There are two types of data which highlights the spread of Omicron. One area of the data shows confirmed Omicron cases, where cases have been confirmed as Omicron through whole-genome sequencing or genotyping. The other relates to probable Omicron cases, where cases have been confirmed as Omicron, identified by Covid-19 cases having S-Gene Target Failure (SGTF).

The data comes from the specimen date since November 1.

Thurrock tops the number of cases within its borders of all council areas across Essex. And it is significantly ahead of the neighbouring London borough of Havering which had 23 cases at the last count.

Thurrock has had 80 confirmed Omicron cases out of 366 confirmed cases of Omicron across the county.

The full list is

Basildon

SGRF: 334

Braintree

SGRF: 134

Brentwood

SGRF: 179

Castle Point

SGRF: 154

Chelmsford

SGRF: 363

Colchester

SGRF: 205

Epping Forest

SGRF: 254

Harlow

SGRF: 71

Maldon

SGRF: 81

Rochford

SGRF: 176

Southend

SGRF: 286

Tendring

SGRF: 73

Thurrock

SGRF: 229