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“It remains extremely worrying that with infection rates and deaths from coronavirus continuing to increase during this lockdown, the test and trace system is still only picking up six out of every ten contacts of people who tested positive."

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responds to new figures, published today by Public Health England, showing a 44 per cent decline in the number of people in England with tuberculosis between 2011-2018.

"Today’s figures show the service has not yet been able to reach a third of people who tested positive for COVID-19, whose contact details were unavailable or incorrect or where there has been no response to text, email and call reminders."

"Councils’ public health teams are using their unique expertise and understanding of their communities to reach those who cannot be contacted by the NHS Test and Trace system, including speaking other languages. These figures show they are having much more success at reaching complex close contacts of positive cases."

"Everybody has to play their part in helping to get this pandemic under control. It is good that the NHS Test and Trace system is reaching the majority of those who tested positive and who are passing on details of their close contacts, but it is still concerning that nearly 20 per cent of positive cases cannot be found."

“If we are to prevent this second wave from escalating further, we need the system to meet the recommended 80 per cent benchmark if it is to have any chance of success."

“Council public health teams remain ready to use their unique expertise, including speaking other languages, and understanding of their communities to try to reach those who cannot be contacted by the system."

“Rising coronavirus cases across the country mean that we all now, more than ever, have a responsibility to get ourselves tested when needed and for sharing our contacts on request.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responds to the latest official suicides statistics, for 2018.

“Councils, which are responsible for public health, run a range of innovative programmes to help people quit smoking and have taken great strides in helping people to stub out tobacco for good."