Over a third of virus contacts missed in Sunderland

Data from the Department for Health and Social care shows 10,021 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in the city were transferred to the test and trace service between May 28 and December 2 – 514 new cases in the last week.

This led to 20,194 close contacts being identified over the period – but just 63.1% of those were reached – meaning 7,452 people were not contacted or did not respond.

That was up from the 61.8% reached in the period to November 25.

In the North East 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."