Over a third of virus contacts missed in South Tyneside

Data from the Department for Health and Social care shows 5,304 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in the borough were transferred to the test and trace service between May 28 and December 2 – 397 new cases in the last week.

This led to 10,939 close contacts being identified over the period – but just 64.9% of those were reached – meaning 3,845 people were not contacted or did not respond.

That was up from the 63.5% reached in the period to November 25, and the highest proportion in the North East, where 61.8% of contacts were reached.

Financial watchdogs have sharply criticised the Government's handling of the £22bn NHS Test and Trace operation and insisted it must do better.

The National Audit Office (NAO) says not enough test results are delivered within 24 hours, and too few contacts of infected people are being reached and told to self-isolate.

NAO chief Gareth Davies said: "The Government has rapidly increased testing and tracing activity, building significant new infrastructure and capacity from scratch.

"However, it has struggled to test and trace as many people as it has capacity to, or to reach the contacts of people testing positive quickly enough.

"Test and Trace is core to the UK's pandemic response.

"It must improve its performance with a focus on effective engagement with the public and integration with local efforts to improve tracing."