Test and Trace misses over a third of contacts in Hartlepool

Virus tracers failed to find hundreds of contacts in Hartlepool

Fewer people who have had close contact with coronavirus victims in Hartlepool are being reached through the test and trace system, new figures reveal.

The figures come as NHS Test and Trace reached its lowest ever proportion of close contacts nationally – with some 40% of people not being found and advised to isolate.

Data from the Department for Health and Social care shows 1,702 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Hartylepool were transferred to the national Test and Trace service between May 28 and October 28 – with 315 new cases in the latest seven-day period.

This led to 3,771 close contacts being identified over the period, but just 61.6% were reached – a figure that has fallen steadily over a five-week period.

That was still better than the 59.2% average success rate across the North East as whole.

Across England, 58.5% of contacts were reached and told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace in the latest week to October 28.

NHS Test and Trace is the national centralised service with local health protection teams dealing with cases linked to settings such as hospitals, schools and prisons.

The national system has come under sustained pressure in recent months because of a steady reduction in the number of people being traced.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has said the month-long lockdown that began in England on Thursday will be used to “redouble our efforts” to expand the programme.

He said it is also vital to increase the speed at which test results are returned.