Test and Trace misses a third of contacts in Northumberland

The figures come as NHS Test and Trace reached its lowest ever proportion of close contacts nationally – with some 40% of people not being found and advised to isolate.

Data from the Department for Health and Social care shows 3,820 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in Northumberland were transferred to the national Test and Trace service between May 28 and October 28 – with 642 new cases in the latest seven-day period.

This led to 8.970 close contacts being identified over the period, but just 63.2% were reached – a figure that has fallen steadily over a six-week period.

That was still better than the 59.2% average success rate across the North East as whole.

Across England, 58.5% of contacts were reached and told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace in the latest week to October 28.

NHS Test and Trace is the national centralised service with local health protection teams dealing with cases linked to settings such as hospitals, schools and prisons.

The national system has come under sustained pressure in recent months because of a steady reduction in the number of people being traced.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has said the month-long lockdown that began in England on Thursday will be used to “redouble our efforts” to expand the programme.

He said it is also vital to increase the speed at which test results are returned.