A NORTH-EAST city is among UKs highest areas for Covid-19 infections - and has seen a huge jump in cases compared with last week.

Latest Public Health England figures, published on September 10, now show Sunderland is England's seventh highest for Covid-19 cases.

It also shows cases in the city have increased by 719 per cent based on figures published at the same time, last week. 

Bolton has the highest rate of infections in England after 462 new cases were recorded in the week to September 7. 

The infection rate in Bolton is now 160.7 per 100,000 people, up sharply from 80.0.

Birmingham has the second highest rate, up from 32.0 to 85.4 with 975 new cases.

Preston is in third place, where the rate has risen from 35.6 to 85.2, with 122 new cases.

The figures, for the seven days to September 7, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government’s testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).

Here is the top 10 areas with the highest infection rate:

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people - the list is in order of infection rate.

1. Bolton - 160.7 per 100,000 (was 80.0) - 100 per cent increase (462 new cases)

2. Birmingham - 85.4 per 100,000 (was 32.0) - 166 per cent increase (975 new cases)

3. Preston 85.2 per 100,000 (was 35.6) - 139 per cent increase (122 new cases)

4. Tameside 84.8 per 100,000 (was 39.3) - 115 per cent increase (192 new cases)

5. Salford 82.3 per 100,000 (was 39.4) - 108 per cent increase (213 new cases)

6. Bradford 82.3 per 100,000 (was 59.3) - 38 per cent increase (444 new cases)

7. Sunderland 80.3 per 100,000 (was 9.0) - 719 per cent increase (223 new cases)

8. Blackburn with Darwen 80.2 per 100,000 (was 44.1) 81 per cent increase (120 new cases)

9. Burnley 77.6 per 100,000 (was 32.6) 139 per cent increase (69 new cases)

10. Hyndburn 74.0 per 100,000 (was 23.4) 216 per cent increase (60 new cases)

How the North-East compares

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people - the list is in order of infection rate.

- Gateshead 58.9 per 100,000 (was 20.3) 190 per cent increase (119 new cases)

- Newcastle upon Tyne 53.2 per 100,000 (was 17.8) 198 per cent increase (161 new cases)

- South Tyneside 53.0 per 100,000 (was 52.3) 1.3 per cent increase (80 new cases)

- Hartlepool 52.3 per 100,000 (was 20.3) 157 per cent increase (49 new cases)

- Middlesbrough 42.6 per 100,000 (was 34.0) 25 per cent increase (60 new cases)

- North Tyneside 38.5 per 100,000 (was 12.5) 208 per cent increase (80 new cases)

- County Durham 33.4 per 100,000 (was 12.8) 160 per cent increase (177 new cases)

- Redcar and Cleveland 26.2 per 100,000 (was 24.8) 5.6 per cent increase (36 new cases)

- Stockton-on-Tees 22.8 per 100,000 (was 18.2) 25 per cent increase (45 new cases)

- Northumberland 20.2 per 100,000 (was 10.9) 85 per cent increase (65 new cases)

- Darlington 16.9 per 100,000 (was 11.2) 50 per cent increase (18 new cases)