Covid-19 infection rates nearly doubled across south east London over the last recorded week.

Boris Johnson has promised to tear up England’s coronavirus regulations this month, despite warning on Monday that we are “very far from the end” of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The so-called “freedom day” is expected on July 19, at a time when he acknowledged there could be 50,000 new cases detected daily.

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The PM indicated that if restrictions were not lifted this month, taking advantage of a “summer firebreak” offered by improved weather and school holidays, then controls may have to remain in place until next year.

Of the 315 local areas in England, 308 (98%) have seen a week-on-week rise in Covid infection rates and just seven (2%) have seen a fall.

The figures, for the seven days to July 3, are based on the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in either a lab-reported or rapid lateral flow test, by specimen date.

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent four days (July 4-7) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

In Lewisham, 745 new coronavirus cases were reported, giving it an infection rate of 243.6, up from 132.1 last week.

In Greenwich the infection rate currently stands at 202.8, up from 114.3, with a total of 584 new cases recorded.

Bexley currently has a Covid-19 rate of 171.6, up from 88.6 last week, after 426 cases were recorded.

And Bromley has also seen a sharp increase in cases, with its Covid-19 rate rising from 68.3 to 145 with 482 new cases.

Dartford has the lowest infection rate in the region with 144.8, still significantly up from 84.4 the week prior, with 163 new cases confirmed in the area.

Professor Chris Whitty has urged the nation to “push hell for leather” to reduce coronavirus infection rates and roll out the vaccines to prevent a significant increase in long Covid.

England’s chief medical officer warned on Tuesday that young people will be particularly hit by the collection of syndromes after Boris Johnson announced his plans to end nearly all restrictions in England.

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics suggested 385,000 people in the UK had experienced long Covid lasting for at least a year.

More than 100 scientists and doctors have signed a letter accusing the UK Government of conducting a “dangerous and unethical experiment” and urging it to reconsider its plans.