Revealed! The SHOCK rise in COVID-19 infections in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead and beyond

The Omicron variant continues to cause coronavirus infection rates to hit record levels in the UK.

There were 1.07 million positive test results in the week to December 30, up 34% from the week before, official figures show.

In the last week of 2021, Newcastle upon Tyne saw an increase of 1698 positive cases of coronavirus.

An increase of 65.5% put Newcastle at 115th for the biggest rises over one week in the UK.

Within Newcastle, Walker North saw the largest increase of positive cases with 234.4% more than the previous week.

Lemington remains the second-highest in Newcastle for positive coronavirus cases, with an increase of 186.9%.

Fenham (143.1%) and Walker South (138.9%) also make it into the highest rising places in the North East for coronavirus this week, putting them at 3^rd and 4^th in the local authorities ranking list, up from last week’s 23^rd and 19^th placements.

There we few decreases in the area this week, with South Jesmond & Sandyford tallying the largest decrease in cases with a drop of 18.7%.

North Jesmond saw 8.2% fewer cases than last week, as did City Centre & Arthur’s Hill with a 10.3% reduction in positive coronavirus cases in the area.

Gateshead saw the largest rise of all North East areas, with uptake of 124.5% in positive cases over the past week.

Areas such as Chopwell & High Spen saw the worst rise in cases, with a 263.4% increase in positive tests.

No area in Gateshead saw a decrease in positive cases, with Beacon Lough & Wrekenton seeing a 242.1% increase and Felling South being hit with a rise of 230.7%.

North Tyneside has seen an increase of 106.2% over the last week. Whitley Bay Promenade has seen the highest increase in the area with 197.6% more coronavirus cases than last week.

Close behind Whitley Bay Promenade is Percy Main and Battle Hill East with increases of 193.9% and 174.3% respectively.

No area in North Tyneside has seen a decrease in cases. The smallest number of cases was in West Monkseaton with an increase of 23.7%.

Slightly higher than North Tyneside for UK-wide rankings is South Tyneside, which is the 30^th highest place for rising cases.

The 118.5% increase in cases has highlighted one of the worst local increases in the North East, with a 353.9% increase in Simonside.

Biddick Hill is the second-highest for South Tyneside at a 235.7% increase in cases. Third-highest case rates in Horsley Hill bump the area up from last week’s 17^th spot, an increase of 230.8% positive coronavirus cases.

The lowest rise for South Tyneside was a 56.7% increase in Hebburn West, which ranks the area at the 23^rd out of all local authorities. Last week, it was ranked 8^th highest by case rates in local authorities.

Northumberland has seen similar spikes in their local authorities, with Newbiggin seeing a case rise of 337.5%.

All 40 local authorities have seen an increase in the Northumberland area over the past week. The smallest increase is 24.3% in Longhorsley, Hepscott & Capheaton. The area is now the lowest-ranked, dropping 18 places from the 22^nd highest rank it received last week.

Bedlington Station & Sleekburn has the second-highest rate of cases this week, an increase of 23 places from last week.

A 200% increase for the local authority puts it above Hexham & Acomb, which is now third after seeing an increase of 184% positive cases from last week.