SIX areas in the North East are among the top ten across England where the Covid-19 infection rate is at its highest.

Shocking figures show Newcastle has the highest infection rate in England as the rates in a further five areas in the region are among the highest. 

Local leaders have since slammed plans to axe some restrictions on July 19 as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to outline in a briefing this evening.

Read more: Here's when Boris Johnson will address the nation ahead of July 19

Latest figures for the country now show the North East has overtaken the North West as the nation's main coronavirus hotspot.

A total of 2,012 new cases of Covid were recorded in Newcastle in the seven days to June 30 – the equivalent of 664.4 cases per 100,000 people.

This is up from 382.1 one week earlier, and is the highest rate for Newcastle for almost eight months, beating the peak of the second wave in January.

Not since the start of October last year, when the return of university students prompted a sharp spike in coronavirus cases, has Newcastle recorded rates this high.

Analysis from PA also found areas of North East are currently seeing their highest rate of new cases since comparable figures began last summer.

These include:

- South Tyneside (604.1 cases per 100,000 population)

- Gateshead (565.2)

- County Durham (551.2) 

- North Tyneside (547.3)

PA found that six of the top ten highest rates in England are in North East – a major turnaround from just two weeks ago, when the entire top ten were in the North West.

Rates are still rising in almost all parts of the North West, however, along with nearly every local area in England, as the third wave of coronavirus cases continues to grow.

Of the 315 local authority areas in England, 312 saw a week-on-week rise in rates in the seven days to June 30, with only three seeing a fall.

Some 264 areas (84 per cent) are now recording rates above 100 per 100,000 people – the highest proportion since the second week of February.

And while the North East is now the regional hotspot for the third wave, a handful of areas in other parts of the nation are seeing a sharp jump in cases.

Overall, England’s national rate for Covid cases now stands at 223.2 per 100,000 people – the highest since the start of February.

The surge in cases in the North East is starting to be reflected in the latest data for hospital admissions, with 39 people in hospital in mechanical ventilation beds across the combined region of north-east England and Yorkshire on July 2 – up from 26 one week earlier and the highest number since April 20.

This is still well below the region’s second-wave peak of 340 patients on ventilators, however.

After Newcastle’s high rate of new coronavirus cases was revealed, the elected North of Tyne Mayor said easing restrictions should not be left to personal choice.

That follows on from the PM's expected briefing tonight where he will outline the final steps on easing restrictions imposed in January.

The PM previously said that he believed the link between cases and deaths had been "broken," although scientists urged caution.

Labour’s North of Tyne Mayor, Jamie Driscoll said: “Clearly rates are high across the country and it’s a highly transmissible virus. 

“We can’t leave it to personal choice as to whether people wear face masks. We wouldn’t make obeying speed limits a person choice. 

“The whole point of a face mask is that you are protecting other people not just yourself.”

He said wearing a mask was a “minor inconvenience” which allowed businesses to continue to function.

He also urged everyone to have their second vaccine dose as quickly as possible.

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