New figures have been released showing the rate of new cases of Covid-19 for every local authority area in England - and they reveal that Sunderland has recorded a sharp increase.
The weekly rate in Sunderland has risen from 34.2 to 94.3, with 262 new cases.
The figures, for the seven days to September 10, are based on tests carried out in laboratories (pillar one of the Government's testing programme) and in the wider community (pillar two).
The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.
Data for the most recent three days (September 11 to 13) has been excluded as it is incomplete and likely to be revised.
In Bolton, 552 new coronavirus cases were recorded in the seven days to September 10 - the equivalent of 192.0 per 100,000 people. This is the highest rate in England and it is up from 126.2 in the seven days to September 3.
Blackburn with Darwen has the second highest rate, up from 61.5 to 118.2 with 177 new cases. Hyndburn is in third place, where the rate has risen from 43.2 to 114.8, with 93 new cases.
The list has been calculated by the PA news agency and is based on Public Health England data published on Sunday on the Government's coronavirus dashboard.
Sunderland, South Tyneside, Newcastle and Gateshead are on the Government's watchlist as all these areas have seen a rise in infection rates.
Here are the latest figures for all North East areas
From left to right, it reads: name of local authority; rate of new cases in the seven days to September 10; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to September 10; rate of new cases in the seven days to September 3; number (in brackets) of new cases recorded in the seven days to September 3.
Sunderland 94.3 (262), 34.2 (95)
South Tyneside 75.5 (114), 51.7 (78)
Gateshead 74.2 (150), 43.1 (87)
Newcastle 63.4 (192), 29.1 (88)
North Tyneside 46.2 (96), 21.2 (44)
County Durham 43.8 (232), 18.5 (98)
Northumberland 21.7 (70), 18.9 (61)
