A SURGE in confirmed Covid cases across the region has been partly-blamed on the Indian variant as one local authority said it had accounted for almost half of its cases.

Fresh warnings were issued as figures revealed every council area in the North-East and North Yorkshire had seen a rise in the number of new cases in the past week.

Directors of Public Health from local authorities on Teesside and in Tyne and Wear have since made calls today for people to take up both doses of the vaccine as cases surge.

Read more: 14 out of 14 council areas in the region sees RISE in Covid cases in the past week

Latest Public Health England figures for the region showed almost 900 additional cases were reported in the week to June 8, compared with the previous week.

It comes as one local authority, Sunderland City Council was last week forced to ask its residents to "meet outdoors" after cases there almost tripled in seven days.

But latest figures from PHE showed that areas such as County Durham, Northumberland, Richmondshire and Hartlepool were among those to see the largest rise in percentage of new Covid cases, when compared to the week before.

This upwards trend has also been felt right across the region, prompting some local authorities to issue early warnings to help prevent another wave of high case rates.

Read more: Sunderland residents asked to 'meet outdoors' as cases TRIPLE in week 

Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health for Gateshead, this afternoon revealed that the Delta variant – formerly known as the Indian variant – was now accounting for 40 per cent of the area's cases.

She made the comments as she urged people to take up both jabs of the vaccine in a timely manner to help prevent its spread.

She said: "We know the vaccine still is effective with that [the Delta] variant but it is not as effective after the first dose so we need to have people having both doses to be effective.”

Meanwhile on Teesside, one local authority which has seen its cases rise by 44 per cent in the past week said it had seen a continuing rise in the number of Delta variant cases.

Sarah Bowman-Abouna, Director of Public Health for Stockton, said: “The numbers of Delta variant cases of Covid-19 are increasing in the Borough, as we are seeing happen right across the North East, and it’s something we are monitoring closely.

“That’s why it is so important that we all need to keep doing our bit and follow the public health advice to bring down the levels of transmission.

"Remember the guidelines – wash your hands regularly, wear a face covering over your mouth and nose, maintain space from other people and meet outside in the fresh air where possible.

“Residents can access free, regular testing to help them stay safe and I’d urge everyone to take up the offer of vaccination when you are offered it."

Read more: 14 out of 14 council areas in the region sees RISE in Covid cases in the past week