Coronavirus cases were falling across most of the North East on the day Boris Johnson announced a national lockdown.
On Halloween, the PM announced a four week lockdown for England which started on Thursday.
Analysis of Government data shows previous Tier Two restrictions appeared to be bringing coronavirus cases down - albeit slowly - in much of the region.
Newly published figures for the week ending October 31 reveals that of the dozen North East councils, infections were rising in just three.
In Newcastle upon Tyne, cases were down by 7.8 per cent
Northumberland, along with both North and South Tyneside, were the North East councils where cases were on the rise that week.
And on the whole, from Northumberland down to Redcar, the region had 546 fewer cases that week.
The falling rate had helped council leaders convince the Government the North East had not needed stricter Tier Three restrictions in the weeks prior to the national lockdown.
The North East is expected to return to those tiered restrictions once the national lockdown is lifted.
Experts believe it will take a fortnight to see what impact the lockdown is having on infections.
(These figures, from data.gov.uk, are correct for the week ending October 31)
Northumberland - 629 cases (up 10.5%)
Newcastle upon Tyne - 878 (down 7.8%)
North Tyneside - 603 (up 1%)
South Tyneside - 383 (up 11%)
Gateshead - 711 (down 1.2%)
County Durham - 1,492 (down 2.8%)
Sunderland - 873 (down 5.3%)
Hartlepool - 316 (down 0.3%)
Darlington - 243 (down 26.1%)
Stockton-on-Tees - 717 (down 22.8%)
Middlesbrough - 437 (down 18.5%)
Redcar and Cleveland - 371 (down 17.2%)
