Over 22,000 have had virus in Sunderland

The number of positive cases reported in the city – as of 9am on Monday May 24 – was 41 higher than the previous Monday. The new figures follow Public Health England changing the way it reported the figures from Friday. Revision to historical case data in England also led to the removal of 5,500 cases nationally over three days last week. Cases that are identified through a positive lateral flow test – those which can deliver results within half an hour – are no longer being counted if the person then takes a PCR test – which is sent to a lab to be checked, – and receives a negative result within three days. These cases are now being removed daily. Overall, the rate of infection in Sunderland now stands at 7,997 cases per 100,000 people. That is higher than the England average of 6,925 per 100,000 people. Across the UK, the number of recorded cases was 12,144 higher than the previous Monday - with the total number of people who have had the virus now standing at 4,464,900. Sunderland's cases were among the 194,862 recorded across the North East. That figure is an increase of 502 over the week to Monday May 24. Separate figures show a total of 151 deaths were registered in England and Wales in the week ending May 14 mentioned Covid-19 on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - up 17% on the previous week.