NEW data shows Braintree now has the highest coronavirus infection rate in Essex and the 16th highest in the country.

The statistics, released by the Government, show the rolling seven-day rate of new cases of Covid-19 for every local authority in England.

The figures, which are for the seven days to July 11, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government's testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

The rate is expressed as the new number of new cases per 100,000 population.

In Leicester, the rate has risen slightly from 115.1 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to July 4 to 118.2 in the seven days to July 11.

It was 152.3 in the seven days to June 27.

Second on the list is Pendle, where the rate has gone up from 14.2 to 76.6.

Braintree is now 16th on the list, with its infection rate jumping from 2.6 to 20.5.

This has been caused by a spike in new cases recorded on July 8 and 9 where 27 positive tests were carried out in the district.

Essex County Council blamed the spike on what it called "discrete incidents" and said many of the people testing positive did not show symptoms.

READ MORE: Health expert reveals reason behind spike in Covid-19 cases in Braintree

Here is top 20 authorities in England with the highest infection rates in the seven days to July 11, followed by the equivalent figure for the previous seven days to July 4.

1 - Leicester 118.2 115.1

2 - Pendle 76.6 14.2

3 - Blackburn with Darwen 47.0 31.6

4 - Rochdale 39.1 28.6

5 - Herefordshire 37.0 1.6

6 - Oadby and Wigston 35.1 31.5

7 - Bradford 35.0 33.1

8 - Peterborough 32.3 13.9

9 - Kirklees 26.7 34.9

10 - East Staffordshire 25.3 7.6

11 - Luton 23.4 16.3

12 - Eastbourne 23.3 8.7

13 - Northampton 21.3 19.1

14 - Carlisle 21.2 15.7

15 - Kettering 20.7 15.8

16 - Braintree 20.5 2.6

17 - Calderdale 19.5 11.9

18 - Oldham 17.4 22.1

19 - Bolton 17.2 17.9

20 - Wakefield 16.5 12.2

Other areas of Essex:

Basildon 7.0 7.5

Brentwood 6.5 5.2

Southend-on-Sea 6.0 10.4

Rochford 4.6 8.0

Thurrock 3.5 3.5

Tendring 3.4 2.1

Castle Point 3.3 10.0

Maldon 1.6 0.0

Chelmsford 1.1 5.1

Colchester 1.0 3.1

Uttlesford 0.0 0.0