Plea to 'act now' after new Hartlepool Covid-19 cases increase threefold in a week to 41

In the week to September 6, the town had 41 confirmed cases of the virus compared to 12 the previous week.

Hartlepool Borough Council officials say everyone needs to act now to get the spread under control and avoid the threat of a local lockdown.

It comes as the Government announced a new ban on social gatherings of more than six people in response to rising cases of Covid-19 nationally.

Craig Blundred, Hartlepool’s Acting Director of Public Health, said: “Although these may sound like relatively small numbers, it shows the virus is spreading again and we simply can’t afford for that trend to continue.

“We need to act now to get this under control and avoid the threat of a local lockdown.

“If we all play our part, we will start to see our numbers decrease again but if we don’t, they’ll continue to rise and this could have a significant impact on our vulnerable residents.”

Mr Blundred and Hartlepool Borough Council’s Managing Director Denise McGuckin reiterated important steps for everyone to follow to protect themselves and others.

They are to wash your hands regularly; wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces including in shops, indoor venues and on public transport; and keep your distance – two metres (six feet) wherever possible – from people you don’t live with or who are not in your ‘bubble’.

Ms McGuckin said: “These are all simple steps but they have such a big effect in beating the coronavirus, so we all need to keep following them all of the time and not be tempted to ease off.

“Ultimately, if we continue to follow the rules, we’ll be helping protect the lives of those we love.”

She added businesses need to remain vigilant and ensure they have all the safety measures in place to maintain social distancing and keep customers and staff safe.

Customer should ask them to record their contact details if businesses do not ask.

Anyone still concerned can call the Public Protection team on (01429) 284024 or email [email protected]

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