Rise in Hartlepool's coronavirus case count continues during first two weeks of lockdown

A second lockdown was imposed across England on November 5, amid concerns the Government’s three tier coronavirus alert system was failing to stem the rise in cases nationwide.

Under the new regulations – which are due to remain in place until December 2 – people are supposed to remain at home unless they have to leave for work, education, to shop for essentials or exercise.

Support and childcare bubbles remain in place and people can still meet up in their bubble. Non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues are closed and bars, pubs and restaurants are only allowed to offer takeway services.

But the latest figures suggest the second lockdown is failing to get to grips with the rising number of coronavirus cases in the town.

Hartlepool had recorded a total of 3,483 coronavirus cases yesterday, Thursday, November 19 – two weeks days after the second lockdown began.

That represents a rise of 944 on the 2,539 cases which had been confirmed in the town on the day the new regulations came into effect.

And it is 300 more 644 new cases than were recorded in the two weeks before the lockdown kicked in.

Hartlepool had seen a confirmed 1,895 cases on Thursday, October 22.

The town’s weekly infection rate was falling before lockdown started.

Hartlepool’s weekly infection rate stood at 334.2 new cases per 100,000 people on November 5, down from 340.6 a week earlier.

But in the two weeks since lockdown, it has soared to 562.7 per 100,000.

The good news, though, is that the town’s coronavirus death rate has fallen slightly during lockdown.

The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust had recorded 205 virus-related deaths from March until Thursday, November 19, a rise of 23 since the second lockdown began.

But there were 25 virus-related fatalities in the trust in the two weeks before November 5.

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