The Harrogate district has recorded a further 31 coronavirus cases today, according to Public Health England figures.
It brings the total cases in the district so far up to 3,998. That is around 2.5% of the local population but only reflects the number of people who have been tested which increased considerably around September.
Harrogate District Hospital has not recorded any further coronavirus deaths in more than a week and remains at 106 deaths.
There are currently 14 coronavirus patients at the hospital, down from 21 last week.
In the local coronavirus press briefing today there were real concerns around the new coronavirus variant, which spreads faster but is not more deadly.
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Richard Webb, the corporate director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said:
“We do not have any confirmed cases of the new coronavirus variant yet but I imagine at the rate at which it spreads it will be heading north at some speed.
“So therefore we have to brace ourselves for the fact that the new strain will reach North Yorkshire very soon.
“We will then have to deal with the consequences of that.”
Local health leaders also highlighted rising coronavirus cases in Scarborough at the press briefing this morning.
The seaside town’s seven-day average rate of infection shot up to 254 per 100,000 people from about 150 a week ago.
It also has the highest positive rates in the north east of England.
With all of those factors coming into play it could mean that the whole of North Yorkshire may either need to move up into tier three or split into different tiers.
