North East infection rates

SOUTH Tyneside and Sunderland have the highest coronavirus infection rates in the North East after a surge in cases.

According to official data, South Tyneside has the highest rate of infection after recording 619 new cases in the seven days leading up to December 30.

It has a rate of 410.0 per 100,000 of population, while Sunderland has a rate of 400.8 after 1,113 positive cases.

Elsewhere in the region, County Durham has the third highest rate of infection, followed by Gateshead and Northumberland.

Newcastle continues to have the lowest rate of infection and has no areas where the rate is above 400.

North East local authority wards with highest rates above 400 per 100,000 and total cases by ward in seven days to December 30:

SOUTH TYNESIDE

Overall rate: 410.0; Confirmed cases: 619 Hebburn South.................................................694.9 67 Hebburn North ................................................ 580.5 51 Whiteleas ...........................................................543.8 37 Harton East ...................................................... 504.5 28

SUNDERLAND

Overall rate: 400.8; Total cases: 1,113 Lakeside and Farrington ................................681.8 47 Pallion North ...................................................... 662.1 46 Millfield ................................................................. 641.1 43 Pallion South and High Barnes .................. 605.4 35 Thorney Close and Plains Farm .................. 580.7 57 Grangetown.......................................................565.9 35 Pennywell and Grindon ................................. 557.5 50 Hetton-le-Hole.................................................. 552.9 40 Hylton Red House and Marley Pots ........... 535.2 47 Fulwell ................................................................. 507.2 28 Houghton West ............................................... 504.4 39

COUNTY DURHAM

Overall rate: 389.2; Total cases: 2,063 Ouston and Beamish ..................................... 986.8 57 Esh Winning and Ushaw ...................................791.1 50 Blackhall ............................................................... 717.4 41 High Shincliffe and Bowburn ....................... 705.6 47 Belmont and Carrville .................................... 673.0 50 Coxhoe and Quarrington Hill .......................663.5 52 Stanley South ................................................... 659.3 63 St Helen Auckland and West Auckland ....658.9 60 Wingate and Castle Eden ..............................652.8 48 Catchgate and Dipton ...................................... 610.1 48 Pity Me and Framwellgate Moor .................583.4 37 Sherburn and West Rainton.......................... 577.2 53 Stanley West and Annfield Plain................. 574.0 45 Spennymoor East and Ferryhill West....... 556.4 41 Great Lumley and Bournmoor ....................549.8 40 Lanchester ........................................................ 555.9 33

GATESHEAD

Overall rate: 373.7; Total cases: 755 Dunston Hill ........................................................ 619.3 40 Crawcrook and Greenside ............................. 541.2 49 Blaydon North and Winlaton Mill................ 509.7 34 Low Fell West ......................................................507.1 32

NORTHUMBERLAND

Overall rate: 312.3; Total cases: 1,007. Haltwhistle and Bardon Mill ........................1,109.5 78 Hexham and Acomb ....................................... 760.0 99 Prudhoe...............................................................724.2 80 Haydon Bridge and Allendale.......................577.8 49

NORTH TYNESIDE

Overall rate: 221.7; Total cases 461

North Shields ..................................................... 471.5 29

NEWCASTLE

Overall rate: 182.3 Total cases: 552 No areas above 400