Several Kent neighbourhoods are once again virtually Covid-free, latest figures reveal.

Three areas in Thanet, as well as parts of Folkestone and Hythe and Medway, have had three or fewer cases over the past week.

There had been concerns that the return of pupils to schools and the dropping of all social distancing restrictions could result in a winter spike of infections.

But across the county, cases appear to be levelling off, down 4.7% over the last seven days.

And the majority of those infections are among children aged five and over.

Kent's overall infection rate is 242.2 per 100,000 people. But for the 10 to 14 age group, the rate is 1,089.5.

Yet some neighbourhoods are virtually Covid-free.

In Thanet, Minster & St-Nicholas-at-Wade, Margate Town and Dumpton are all reporting fewer than three cases.

Meanwhile, Saltwood, Seabrook & Etchinghill in Folkestone and Hythe had just three positive tests.

The Hoo Peninsula in Medway also had only three cases.

It comes as the number of Covid patients in Kent hospitals almost halved over the course of September.

The roll-out of the vaccination programme is credited with keeping people out of hospital, with about four in five of the county now double-jabbed.

Read more: All the latest Covid news

Read more: All the latest Kent news