MORE than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Essex over the weekend.

Public Health England figures show there were 941 positive tests carried out in the Essex County Council region as of 9am today (Monday, November 30), up from 19,973 the same time on Friday.

Meanwhile a further 122 cases were confirmed in Southend during that period, and a further 125 in Thurrock.

Thurrock has the highest rate of infection across the three areas, with 1,735 cases per 100,000 people.

That remains some way off the England average of 2,490.

The rate of infection in Essex is 1,404 cases, while in Southend it is 1,370 cases per 100,000 people.

Across the UK, the number of recorded cases increased by 40,356 over the weekend, to 1,629,657.

Essex's cases were among the 86,063 recorded across the East of England, a figure which rose by 3,139 over the period.

Cumulative case counts include patients who are currently unwell, have recovered and those that have died.