Area of Hartlepool now one of the highest covid case rates in the North East

Seaton Carew now has one of the highest weekly coronavirus case rates in the North East with local councillors urging people not to let their guard down.

The area, which is home to around 6,000 residents, has a weekly case rate of 880.3 cases per 100,000 people on Friday November 20.

The rate had peaked at 1119.1 per 100,000 people on Thursday November 19 when it was the area with the second highest case rate in the region.

Now Seaton Carew had the fourth highest weekly covid infection rate in the North East, with just Walker North in Newcastle and Bishop Auckland South and Bishop Auckland North & Coundon Grange recording a higher number of cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days.

Seaton Ward Councillors Sue Little and Leisa Smith urged local residents to follow the rules to help bring down the spike in cases.

They said: “We are very concerned by the current high level of cases in Seaton Carew and we would appeal to every single person to please follow the rules all the time, and not drop their guard for a moment.

"Every individual’s actions can and will make a difference and together as a community we can get these case numbers down – but we must all follow ‘hands’, ‘face’ and ‘space’ at all times.”

There has been an spike in coronavirus cases in recent days and there has been more new cases in the two weeks since the second lockdown was introduced than in the two weeks prior.

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Acting Director of Public Health, repeated the advice to residents or Seaton Carew and across Hartlepool.

He said: “Any high rate of cases in any area of Hartlepool is clearly of very considerable concern, which is why I would take this opportunity to once again ask everyone in Hartlepool to please heed the Government restrictions at all times and please maintain proper social distancing at all times, wear a face covering in public spaces and keep washing your hands regularly.”

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