Babergh leader John Ward has warned Hadleigh residents they must continue to listen to the 'relentless' public awareness messages after a Covid-19 outbreak in the town.

Speaking at Babergh's full council meeting tonight, Cllr Ward warned even though figures had dropped, and Suffolk in general was among the lowest counties in the UK, affected, people needed to stay alert and stick to the coronavirus guidelines.

Cllr Ward said: "We currently have a spike in Hadleigh and this is very concerning. The current weekly numbers for the town record 67 cases, which is a rate of 601 per 100,000 and while that is extremely high it is now, thankfully, in decline.

"While there has been a focus in the press has been on the care homes and the High School but household to household transmission has been taking place and we need to continue our relentless public awareness campaign."

Cllr Ward reminded residents that the #Stick With It Suffolk campaign remains and the Home Alone helpline had been reactivated and the advice for people who have to go out is hands, face space and use sanitisers, use amasj=ka nd keep a safe distance from other.

Babergh chairman Cllr Kathryn Grandon, and Hadleigh ward member, added her concerns for the residents of the town and said: "For all those people who have been affected by this terrible pandemic, myself, other Hadleigh councillors and indeed all Babergh members have you in our thoughts and are concerned for you."

Babergh's Covid figures show 63 deaths up to November 6 but the latest confirmed cases in the district have fallen according to the latest figures available. In the week leading up to November 21, Babergh reported 75 weekly cases, but the cumulative weekly case rate dropped to 125, in line with other Suffolk districts.

That leaves Babergh 277th out of 315 in the national rankings and that will have an effect on how the Government will decide which tier Suffolk will fall in when the are announced on Thursday.

Suffolk was in Tier 1 before lockdown with a total of 882.9 cases per 100,000 people, the lowest in the East of England.