More than 7,000 people have been told to self-isolate by Test and Trace in south east London and north Kent.

Across England, more than 160,000 cases were transferred to the contact tracing system between July 1 and 7, with 381,000 people identified as coming into close contact with someone who had tested positive – also the highest number since the week ending January 20.

Separate figures also show that more than half a million alerts were sent to users of the NHS Covid-19 app in England and Wales telling them to self-isolate.

Isolation is recommended but not mandatory, if someone is alerted by the app, while those contacted by Test and Trace have a legal duty to self-isolate.

Unite said hundreds of employees are off work at some sites, especially in the automotive sector, with alerts from the NHS app causing “havoc” on production lines.

There are calls to bring forward the August 16 date, where the fully vaccinated will not have to self-isolate if they come into contact with someone with Covid-19.

The Government is urging those told to self-isolate to follow the guidance.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We are asking people who are contacted by the app to continue to isolate, that’s what we’ve asked people to do since the app was launched.

“The reason for that is not just to protect themselves but also to try and break the chain of transmission to other people that they may come into contact with.

“The Prime Minister spoke about the fact that we are seeing case numbers increase, and obviously as a result you would expect to see the numbers of people being notified to self-isolate increase also.”

Here is a breakdown across south east London and north Kent.

Lewisham:

Department for Health and Social Care data shows 1,325 people were told to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 7 – the latest available data.

Contact tracers ask new patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.

The figures show 1,601 people who came into close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in Lewisham were transferred to Test and Trace in the week to July 7.

It means 276 contacts were not reached by the service. The figures do not include those told to isolate in specific settings such as schools and prisons.

Bromley 

Department for Health and Social Care data shows 1,193 people were told to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 7 – the latest available data.

Contact tracers ask new patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.

The figures show 1,360 people who came into close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in Bromley were transferred to Test and Trace in the week to July 7.

It means 167 contacts were not reached by the service. The figures do not include those told to isolate in specific settings such as schools and prisons.

Bexley

Department for Health and Social Care data shows 1,028 people were told to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 7 – the latest available data.

Contact tracers ask new patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.

The figures show 1,168 people who came into close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in Bexley were transferred to Test and Trace in the week to July 7.

It means 140 contacts were not reached by the service. The figures do not include those told to isolate in specific settings such as schools and prisons.

Greenwich

Department for Health and Social Care data shows 1,307 people were told to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 7 – the latest available data.

Contact tracers ask new patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.

The figures show 1,488 people who came into close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in Greenwich were transferred to Test and Trace in the week to July 7.

It means 181 contacts were not reached by the service. The figures do not include those told to isolate in specific settings such as schools and prisons.

Dartford

Department for Health and Social Care data shows 3,536 people were told to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 7 – the latest available data.

Contact tracers ask new patients to give details for anyone they were in close contact with in the 48 hours before their symptoms started.

The figures show 3,900 people who came into close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in Kent were transferred to Test and Trace in the week to July 7.

It means 364 contacts were not reached by the service. The figures do not include those told to isolate in specific settings such as schools and prisons.