THESE are the North East towns and villages which have seen the highest Covid rates across the region in the past week. 

Most recent figures from Public Health England have revealed the areas where rates are above the average.

Berwick Hills, in Middlesbrough, is the only part of the North East which has more than 400 cases per 100,000 people.

Read more: This is how Covid figures are being reported now free tests have ended

In County Durham, the highest Covid rates presently are in Horden, in east Durham, Coundon, near Bishop Auckland and Blackhall, in east Durham, which all have rates of more than 200 cases per 100,000 people.

The area of Darlington which has the highest rate of infection at present is College and Park west, where there are 201.3 cases per 100,000 people. There were 12 new cases, an increase of two.

In the North East, the average rate of infection is currently 112.3 cases per 100,000 people.

How the infection rate is worked out 

The infection rate is worked out by looking at the number of cases and the population in each neighbour area, which contain an average of 7,000 people.

Public Health England then look at this to identify the potential hotspots, seeing where exactly high percentages of the population have tested positive.

This then translates into the Government's online coronavirus dashboard which lists the Covid rates for every single part of the UK.

Here are the 14 North East areas with the highest Covid rates 

The data is from the seven days to May 11, compared to the week before

1. Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough

Covid infection rate: 448.8 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 33 (up 13 from week before)

2. Wallsend West, North Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 315.1 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 22 (up 5 from week before)

3. Horden, County Durham

Covid infection rate: 292.9 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 17 (up 3 from week before)

4. Coundon North, County Durham

Covid infection rate: 287.2 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 21 (up 6 from week before)

5. Battle Hill West, North Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 278.1 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 15 (up 4 from week before)

6. Battle Hill East, North Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 270.1 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 15 (up 10 from week before)

7. Houghton West, Sunderland

Covid infection rate: 254.9 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 20 (same as week before)

8. Forest Hall and West Moor, North Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 252.7 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 16 (up 9 from week before)

9. Haydon Bridge and Allendale, Northumberland

Covid infection rate: 245.9 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 21 (up 14 from week before)

10. Cullercoats, North Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 239.2 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 15 (up 5 from week before)

11. Blackhall, County Durham

Covid infection rate: 227.4 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 13 (up 5 from week before)

12. Howdon, North Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 217.8 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 14 (up 8 from week before)

13. Prudhoe, Northumberland

Covid infection rate: 216.5 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 24 (up 11 from week before)

14. Simonside, South Tyneside

Covid infection rate: 216.3 cases per 100,000 people

Number of cases this week: 12 (up 8 from week before)

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