Hartlepool infection rate among lowest - amid fears coronavirus has not reached its peak in town

According to the latest statistics compiled by health chiefs, Hartlepool had the second least cases, relative to population, with only Stockton-on-Tees having a lower rate.

The numbers, which record the total number of infections up to Sunday, May 10, are due to be debated by care leaders at a North East Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in South Tyneside on Thursday.

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According to the findings, up to May 10, Hartlepool had a Covid infection rate of 251 per 100,000, while in Stockton-on-Tees it was 227.2.

Gateshead had the highest rate of the North East Integrated Care System’s 13 local authority areas at 478.5, followed by Sunderland with 477.6.

A report for the CCG’s Governing Body warned rates will continue to increase and they should be treated with caution due to the nature of the current coronavirus testing regime.

It also added the position for each area relative to others was changing daily.

It said: “These rates will continue to increase as testing becomes more widespread and hence positive cases increase.

“There are many factors to consider when comparing areas, which makes this an unreliable measure of both the prevalence of Covid and the scale of the prevalence relative to other areas.”

The paper, made public on Monday, May 18, added it is important to ‘note the fast pace of changes that are being implemented in the Covid and post-Covid phases’ and data may quickly become out of date.

It comes after health chiefs in Hartlepool had warned last week, on May 14, the region had not yet reached the coronavirus peak for the area.

Dr Patricia Riordan, Director of Public Health at Hartlepool Borough Council, had therefore urged visitors and day trippers not to visit the area’s coastlines.

She said: “Recently, Boris Johnson announced the UK is “past the peak” of the coronavirus outbreak and said the “stay at home” slogan would be replaced with “stay alert” messaging.

“However, we must be absolutely clear that although there may have been a peak in London, elsewhere in the country – including here in Hartlepool – we are not out of danger yet.

“Unfortunately, Hartlepool’s trajectory has noticeably increased recently and cases are continuing to increase at a rate which would suggest we have not reached our peak.”

Council chiefs had also circulated data for May 15, stating the Covid reproduction number, the average number of people an infected person will pass the virus on to, was higher in the North East and Yorkshire than anywhere else in the country.

At 0.8, the rate was double that of London, where it was 0.4

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