CASES of Covid are continuing to soar in the region, with the highest rate in the country in the North East.
The case rate is highest in Middlesbrough which has more than 3,000 cases per 100,000 people according to the Government’s latest data.
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Stockton is third in England, while Hartlepool is fourth, Redcar and Cleveland is fifth.
North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland are also in the top ten in England.
The figures, for the seven days to January 7, are based on the number of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 in a lab-reported test, plus, in England, positive rapid lateral flow tests that do not have a negative confirmatory lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within 72 hours.
Meanwhile, the five areas recording the biggest week-on-week rise are all in the North East
They are:
Middlesbrough (up from 1,904.7 to 3,111.4)
Hartlepool (1,754.1 to 2,856.0)
Sunderland (1,585.8 to 2,632.8)
South Tyneside (1,646.9 to 2,667.2)
Darlington (1,380.8 to 2,243.9)
The figures differ slightly from the latest data published by Middlesbrough Borough Council on its own website, which was updated yesterday.
It said the Covid rate was 2,937.3 cases per 100,000 people, with 4,141 new cases in seven days and 476 cases added yesterday.
Public Health South Tees’ Graeme Nicholson said: “Middlesbrough is the highest-ranking authority in terms of covid infection rates, with a change rate of 47 per cent.
“This time last week, our weekly change rate was plus 246 per cent so whilst 47 per cent looks worrying in terms of the change, the change rate compared to last week is a lot lower which means things are slowing down a little bit.
“So that is a positive in terms of the covid infection rate in the local area at the moment. We are seeing increases but the rate and the speed of the increases is not what it was over the last week or so.”
According to the Government's data, there is only one place in the North East which has a case rate of fewer than 1,000 cases per 100,000 people.
In Durham City, there were 140 cases in the seven days to , which was a rise of 12 (9.4 per cent)
It gives the area a case rate of 952.8 per 100,000 people, the lowest in the region.
Only a handful of places in the North East have fewer than 1,600 cases per 100,000 people.
In County Durham, they are Gilesgate and Old Elvet, Aykley Heads, Neville’s Cross and Langley Moor, Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor, Stanhope and Weardale, Upper Teesdale.
In the borough of Darlington, only central Darlington has fewer than 1,600 cases per 100,000 people, while in Teesside there are none.
The latest data, according to the Government's coronavirus dashboard (figures until January 7):
County Durham
Total cases: 11,934- Up 4,160
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2238.4
Darlington
Total cases: 2,410 - Up 927
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2,243.9
Middlesbrough
Total cases: 4,396 - Up 1,705
Case rate per 100,000 people: 3,111.4
Redcar and Cleveland
Total cases: 3798, Up 1,124
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2,767.7
Stockton
Total cases: 5660, up 1,264
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2,867
Hartlepool
Total cases: 2,680 – Up 1214
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2,856
Gateshead
Total cases: 4, 854 - Up 1,331
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2403.6
Sunderland
Total cases: 7315, up 2,909
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2632.8
Newcastle
Total cases: 6,559, up 1,894
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2,137.7
North Tyneside
Total cases: 5,605 - Up 1,590
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2683.5
South Tyneside
Total cases: 4,031 - Up 1,542
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2667.2
Northumberland
Total cases: 7,905, up 2,419
Case rate per 100,000 people: 2,441.2
Richmondshire
Total cases: 939, up 287
Case rate per 100,000 people: 1747.6
Hambleton
Total cases: 1,460, up 211
Case rate per 100,000 people: 1588.1
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