FOUR of Northumberland's five worst-affected council wards in terms of coronavirus infections over the past week are in two Tyne Valley towns.
Two of the three wards from Hexham and Prudhoe's two wards are all in the top five for infections confirmed in the week ending January 16.
However, data from Northumberland County Council revealed that infection rates are falling across the county. A total of 800 cases were confirmed in Northumberland in the seven days up to January 16, an infection rate of 249.8 per 100,000 residents.
Coronavirus cases by council ward week ending January 16: Hexham Constituency
Hexham East - 34
Prudhoe South - 25
Hexham Central with Acomb - 23
Prudhoe North - 22
Stocksfield and Broomhaugh - 16
Haltwhistle - 14
Corbridge - 14
Humshaugh - 13
Ponteland West - 11
Haydon and Hadrian - 10
Ponteland East and Stannington - 9
Hexham West - 9
Bellingham - 9
Ponteland North - 8
Bywell - 8
South Tynedale - 7
Ponteland South with Heddon - 6
According to Public Health England, there have now been 13,712 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Northumberland since the start of the pandemic.
NHS England's latest figures showed no new deaths were confirmed at Northumbria Heathcare hospitals yesterday. The death toll remains at 493.
Nationally, an additional 37,535 cases of coronavirus were confirmed across the UK yesterday.
An additional 599 people died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus, bringing the total death toll to 89,860.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here