Infection rates in Harlow have surpassed the 100 mark and are fast approaching that in Epping Forest.

With an increase in Delta variant cases the rate of infection in the two districts has been climbing in the last few weeks.

In Harlow, the rate of infection, expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people, has doubled in seven days.

Between June 20 and 27 there were 90 new infections recorded in the town, a rate of 103.4, up from 50.5 the week before when 44 new cases were confirmed.

In Epping Forest the rate of infection during the same period rose to 97.2, up from 51.6, after 128 new cases were identified.

Public Health England figures show 153 cases of the Delta variant – first identified in India – had been recorded in Epping Forest by June 30.

That was 63 more than the 90 cases recorded the week before

But while the Delta variant now accounts for around 95 per cent of new cases sequenced in the UK, the number of people being hospitalised with the infection is not rising proportionally.

Evidence suggests this is due to the widescale rollout of vaccines.

In Epping Forest 92.3 per cent of people aged 50 have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and in Harlow that figure is 92.9 per cent.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in Harlow and Epping Forest, was caring for six coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday, June 29, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on June 29 was down from nine on the same day the previous week.

There were three beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust.

Across England there were 1,445 people in hospital with Covid as of June 29, with 259 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.