Coronavirus cases have more than doubled in Chelmsford in the past week. 

The latest data on the Government's coronavirus dashboard shows there were 40 new cases recorded in the seven days ending June 10. 

Only 15 were confirmed in the week before on June 3. 

Great Baddow North and East saw the most cases recorded in the past week with five. 

There were meanwhile four new cases confirmed in Springfield North. 

The graphic below shows how all areas in Chelmsford have gone from being virtually Covid-free to recording a rise in cases in the space of a week.

Areas highlighted in light green have an infection rate between 0 and 50 cases per 100,000 people, while dark green is between 50 and 100.

Chelmsford has seen the highest number of Indian Covid variant cases recorded in Essex. 

Public Health England figures show 38 cases of the Delta variant had been recorded in Chelmsford by June 9.

But the latest hospital data shows there were only 11 Covid patients across Broomfield, Basildon and Southend as of June 8. 

All three come under the remit of Mid and South Essex Hospitals. 

Covid patients in English hospitals are on the rise along woith the numbers of new cases. 

This led to Prime Minister Boris Johnson delaying the ending of lockdown until July 19.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, England's Chief Medical Officer Prof Chris Whitty said that patient numbers were “still relatively modest compared to the capacity of the NHS”, adding: “But several doubling times, a relatively small number of doubling times, and you start getting to really quite large numbers.”

Prof Whitty said cases of the new variant were increasing across the country, adding the link between people being admitted to hospital had been “substantially weakened” but “it has not been completely stopped”.

He said the rates of people being admitted to hospital were following a rise in cases but with a delay.

Prof Whitty added: “Although we don’t think an immediate overwhelming of the NHS is likely, if this continues on an exponential path, and in particular if that then accelerated further due to further loosening, then we would run into trouble in a relatively small number of doubling times.”