The current covid situation in Sunderland as city records highest number of daily coronavirus cases since pandemic began

Figures released on Sunday, July 11 reveal that 431 more cases have been confirmed across the city – the highest number of covid cases ever recorded in Sunderland

This is almost 50% more than the winter peak high when 297 cases were recorded on one day.

A total of 2,330 cases have been recorded in Sunderland in the past seven days, making the weekly case rate 839 per 100,000 people.

This is higher than the North East average weekly case rate of 706.5 per 100,000 people, which is the highest of any region in the country.

The city has also seen a sharp rise in the Delta variant, with 1,340 cases of the variant – first identified in India – recorded in Sunderland by July 7.

According to Public Health England, of the 431 new Covid cases, 300 were cases of the Delta variant.

But the UK Health Security Agency said the sharp increase in cases across England is not being followed by a similar increase in hospitalisation and death.

The North East is the sixth-worst affected of England's nine regions for cases of the Delta variant.

Public Health England denied reports published last week which claimed it was investigating a new variant in the North East.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA, said: "The data continues to show that the sharp increase in cases that we are seeing is not being followed by a similar increase in hospitalisation and death.

"This is because two doses of the available vaccines offer a high level of protection against the Delta variant."

Nearly two-thirds of people in Sunderland have now received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.

Herrington and Doxford remains the area with the highest coverage as 77.7% of people aged 16 and over fully vaccinated.

The city’s health bosses are encouraging residents across Wearside to receive both jabs “to offer the best form of protection against the virus”.

Executive Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning Gerry Taylor previously said: “With cases of the Delta variant rising rapidly in Sunderland along with the rest of the region, it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated and to take up both doses of the vaccine.”

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