Covid cases continue to soar in Hartlepool as impact of Christmas and New Year mixing hits

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool’s director of public health, warned rates in the borough are the highest in the North East and everyone has a part to play in bringing them down.

As of January 3, the Covid-19 rate in Hartlepool, per 100,000 of the population was 716, more than three times higher than the rate on December 5, when it was 219.

In comparison the Tees Valley average as of January 3 was 414 cases per 100,000 of the population, and on December 5 was 166.

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Mr Blundred, speaking to the council audit and governance committee on Thursday, January 7, warned the increasing rates are a concern for Hartlepool.

He said: “I think we’re starting to see in the last few days a significant impact from Christmas mixing, which I suspect will be driving our figures.

“Also from yesterday to probably the end of the week and the weekend we’re likely to see the impact of New Year as well, where we suspect there has been mixing over New Year.

“Certainly yesterday the figures I saw were quite excessive in terms of the daily numbers that were presented to us and I think that’s a function of mixing over the Christmas and New Year period unfortunately.

“We’re anticipating seeing further rises as we go through the week, I hope I’m wrong, but we do anticipate that’s likely to happen.”

He also noted the rate of Covid-19 in over 60s in Hartlepool has increased considerably over the past month, from 87 cases per 100,000 of the population on December 5, to 464 as of the January 3 figures.

However it was noted due to the smaller population of Hartlepool, and cases being measured per 100,000, it can cause a greater fluctuation in such rates.

Mr Blundred stressed the importance going forward of everyone in Hartlepool following lockdown restrictions and getting tested where necessary to help bring down Covid-19 rates in the area.

He said: “Our rates are exceedingly higher than other areas and that is a concern.

“We cannot let our guard down, we are in quite a serious place with the rates, being the highest in the North East.

“We’re working to try and bring those down but everybody has their bit to play, we really have to ensure everyone abides by the lockdown regulations, because that is literally the only way we are going to be able to bring the numbers down.

“We need to remember all of the advice about keeping social distancing, not mixing households, not mixing at all, good hand hygiene and maintaining mask wearing and face covering where it’s appropriate.”

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