More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
As coronavirus cases continue to fall across Kent, several parts of the county are now recording fewer than 10 weekly positive tests.
Infection rates are lowest in the Canterbury district, where five wards are virtually Covid-free, according to latest figures.
But across the entire county there are areas where weekly cases are in single figures - even in Swale, which once had the highest infection rate in the UK.
The plummeting infection rates have sparked calls for more lockdown measures to be eased after schools return on March 8.
Today, details have emerged of when pubs may reopen and even when face masks could no longer be required.
The vaccine roll-out is also continuing at pace, with letters sent out to people aged 65-69, inviting them to book jabs at one of Kent's mass vaccine centres.
Cases in Kent have plunged 36.6% in the past week, with the infection rate per 100,000 people now at 117.8, below the national average of 177.2.
Meanwhile in Medway, the number of positive tests has plummeted 46% over the same period, resulting in an infection rate of 124.9.
Below is a breakdown of the areas in the county which have recorded fewer than 10 weekly Covid cases, according to latest figures...
Parkwood East: Cases: 3 (-40% on previous week). Infection rate: 49.6.
Sittingbourne West: Cases: 4 (-60%). Infection rate: 48.8.
Paddock Wood & Five Oak Green: Cases: 5 (-61.5%). Infection rate: 47.7.
Lyminge, Densole & Elham: Cases: 3 (-57.1%). Infection rate: 46.9.
Faversham West: Cases: 4 (-50%). Infection rate: 46.2
Rede Common: Cases: 3 (-83.3%). Infection rate: 45.7.
Hever, Leigh & Penshurst: Cases: 3 (-76.9%). Infection rate: 42.4.
Knockholt, Shoreham & Dunton Green: Cases: 4 (-69.2%). Infection rate: 42.2.
Snodland: Cases: 5 (-77.3%). Infection rate: 42.1.
Tunbridge Wells Central: Cases: 4 (-55.6%). Infection rate: 40.2
Tonbridge Town: Cases: 5 (-75%). Infection rate: 39.8.
Cliftonville East & Kingsgate: Cases: 3 (-78.6%) Infection rate: 34.9.
Sandwich & Eastry: Cases: 3 (-62.5%). Infection rate: 32.6.
Sevenoaks Town & Weald: Cases: 3 (-78.6%). Infection rate: 28.7.
South Canterbury: Cases: 3 (-70%). Infection rate: 27.1.
Some the areas below may even be virtually Covid-free - as the Government does not show data if fewer than three cases have been recorded in the past seven days in order to "protect individuals' identities
Fewer than three cases:
Last week Andrew Scott-Clark, director of public health in Kent, said infection rates need to fall to about 25 per 100,000 people before easing lockdown measures further could be considered.
He said: “All our rates are below the national average which is really great news.
“But it’s a long way to go before we can think about opening anything up and getting back to business as usual.
“We really want to see the case rates as we were in summer where there were around 25 cases per 100,000.
“We need to continue as we are in lockdown - and that is of course why we have seen this reduction in rates. We need to maintain that and continue to abide by the rules, maintain and reduce our social distancing as much as possible to keep these rates going down in the way they have been.
“The rates have come down, but what I would say to people is that we’ve got a virus out there that is more transmissible than we’ve seen in the previous wave so any social interaction beyond the lockdown actually risks the case numbers going up - so we need to be really careful now and hunker down.”
