AS some parts of the UK see local lockdowns imposed, Southend Council bosses are confident the area is unlikely suffer a similar fate.

Towns such as Leicester and large parts of Greater Manchester are getting to grips with stricter measures after a spike in the number of confirmed cases.

But until now, both Southend’s infection rate and its number of new cases has remained steadily low.

Most recent figures show there have been 712 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with recent daily increases limited to either one or two cases.

>> Coronavirus infection rate figures for Southend, Basildon and Canvey are updated

According to Public Health England statistics, the latest figures show Southend has an infection rate of about 2.1 - expressed as the total number of new cases per 100,000 people. In trouble spots such as Pendle and Blackburn with Darwen, that rate has risen to 78.2 cases per 100,000 people.

The positive assertion comes as the Office for National Statistics figures revealed the number of excess deaths in Southend hit a peak in the week ending April 17, with 115 per cent more deaths than the average for the previous five years.

Overall, the area had more deaths than usual in ten of the 15 weeks between March 6 and June 12, the statistics authority revealed.

But health experts and council bosses say this is low considering the pandemic and other worse-hit areas.

Dr Mary Orhewere, Consultant in Public Health Medicine for Southend Council, said: “As the ONS figures clearly show, much of the world has been sadly affected by coronavirus.

“Although the number of deaths in Southend has been relatively low, every death is a very sad loss for that family and their friends.

“In line with the rest of the country and indeed most of the world, for ten of the 15 weeks between March and June, more people died compared to the five yearly average. This excess death figure has now levelled out.”

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The expert used the figures to urge the public to continue to take individual responsibility for preventing the spread of coronavirus.

The health boss urged everyone to keep washing hands regularly, keep their distance from those with whom they do not live with and, if they have symptoms, to get a test and stay at home.

She added: “Please also wear a face covering in shops, supermarkets and our museums, libraries and galleries.”

Trevor Harp, councillor for public health urged residents to following social distancing rules and other safety rules to help prevent the likelihood of a local lockdown in the town.

He said: “These figures are comparing it to normal years but this is not a normal year, these are additional deaths which are expected with the additional virus.

“In Southend our figures are still very low, there’s been a slight increase in the number of cases from 2.2 to 2.7 per 100,000 people.

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“We feel we are doing quite well in Southend and I think the figures show that. I think a local lockdown is unlikely but we are always monitoring this.

“The figures are being kept low as the vast major of people are being respectable and must continue to do so.”

Yesterday, a further six people who tested positive for coronavirus died in England, taking the total number of deaths in hospital to 29,419.

None of the new deaths were registered in the East of England.