The number of coronavirus cases in Maldon increased by 166 over the weekend which followed the end of free testing in England, official figures show.

A total of 19,317 cases had been confirmed in Maldon when the UK coronavirus daily dashboard was updated yesterday (April 4), up from 19,151 on Friday.

The cumulative rate of infection in Maldon, which covers the whole pandemic, stands at 29,536 cases per 100,000 people.

This is lower than the England average of 31,806.

In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, if one person tests positive for the virus more than 90 days after the first infection, two infection episodes will be recorded, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

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England’s change in testing requirements means the reported number of coronavirus cases in the UK is also likely to be an underestimate.

Free tests were withdrawn for most people in the country on April 1.

The figures also show nearly three-quarters of people in Maldon have received a booster dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

The latest figures show 43,583 people had received a booster or third dose by Sunday – 72 per cent of those aged 12 and over, based on the number of people on the National Immunisation Management Service database.

A total of 52,077 people (86 per cent) had received two jabs by that date.