Covid cases are continuing to fall across Kent - but one neighbourhood in the county has recorded the highest infection rate in England.

According to figures released yesterday, Eythorne and Shepherdswell in the Dover district has a rate of 996.4 cases per 100,000 of the population, more than three times the national average.

The area recorded 67 new cases in the seven days to Easter Sunday (April 17), a rise of 55.8%. Its case rate is second in the UK only to Na h-Eileanan Siar in the Outer Hebrides, with 1,377.4 per 100,000.

The average infection rate the same period in the UK stands at 283.8 per 100,000, with the rate for Kent slightly below the national average at 265.3.

The latest figures show that in the week up to April 17, 4,216 new cases were recorded in the county, a drop of 2,789 on the previous week and down by 39.8%.

Cases have also fallen significantly in all of Kent's district areas.

Dover has the highest case rate at 328.2, which still represents a drop of 32.2%; the infection rate figure for the county's remaining districts stands at well below 300.

Despite big falls in the number of cases in Kent and across the country since free testing ended at the start of this month, calls were made earlier this week to encourage more people to socially distance and wear face masks. It comes as the number of Covid patients in Kent's hospitals has more than doubled in a month.

A senior NHS leader said "sensible precautions" are needed to reduce the strain on the health service.

Many health trusts are also being hit hard by staff absences, much of it due to Covid.

Earlier this month, a Kent woman with coronavirus told how she was among patients to receive a new anti-Covid drug at home.

The antiviral treatment which reduces the risk of serious illness have been provided to more than 32,000 patients since being introduced for patients outside of hospital in December.

Helen West, 56, from Walderslade, Chatham, said the drug Paxlovid made "a positive difference to my recovery."