This is where South Tyneside's coronavirus case rate stands now compared to when local lockdown measures were first introduced

When the Government announced the first wave of local restriction measures to be imposed in the North East on Thursday, September 17, Sunderland’s weekly case rate stood at 92 cases per 100,000.

In the following weeks this almost tripled to 266 cases per 100,000 people by October 8 – with figures showing 403 people had tested positive with the virus in the seven days leading up to October 4.

Now, as the North East is place in the ‘high tier’ alert level, the latest figures show a slight drop in the number of positive cases in the local authority.

Data released today (October 13) show a slight drop to 244 cases per 100,000 people in the borough after 369 people tested positive for the virus in the seven days up to October 10.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a new three-tier alert system yesterday (October 12) outlining a standardised restriction protocol based on a medium, high and very high alert level.

South Tyneside, along with the six other council areas in the North East; Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham, North Tyneside, Sunderland, and Northumberland, were all put under tighter restrictions on September 18 prohibiting households from meeting at a private home or garden.

These were tightened further on September 30 when it was made against the law to meet with someone outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting.

Two days later, local authorities Hartlepool and Middlesbrough were added to these restrictions.

From tomorrow (October 14), all nine local authorities in the North East will be added to the ‘high’ tier alert level – which will actually one element of the current restrictions will ease slightly.

Families and friends will be able to meet in groups of up to six in private gardens – which was previously prohibited – although meeting anyone outside your household or support bubble in any indoor setting remains against the law.

How cases have risen each week despite local lockdowns:

(figures based on Public Health England figures for seven days up to three days before date)

September 17 – 93.4 cases per 100,000 people (141 new cases)

September 24 – 205.3 per 100,000 people (310 new cases)

October 1 – 168.9 per 100,000 people (255 new cases)

October 8 – 266.9 per 100,000 people (403 new cases)

October 13 (Now) – 244.4 per 100,000 people (369 new cases)

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