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    05

    Jan 2021

    Last Updated: 05/01/2021

    New coronavirus variant 'certainly' in North Yorkshire

    by Connor Creaghan

    | 05 Jan, 2021
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    In a coronavirus press briefing today, local health bosses warned that the coronavirus case rates will likely worsen over the next two weeks.

    harrogate-in-lockdown
    An empty Montpellier Street in Harrogate on the first day of lockdown 3.0.

    Local health leaders believe that the new coronavirus variant is in North Yorkshire as the country heads into a national lockdown.

    While they have no concrete evidence, they say cases have spiked locally in line with the variant's fast-spreading nature.

    The seven-day rate of infection in North Yorkshire has risen from 189 per 100,000 people on December 30, to 346 today.

    In the Harrogate district, the seven-day rate has risen to 297 per 100,000 people.

    However, all districts in North Yorkshire remain below the England average seven-day rate of 560 per 100,000.



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    In a coronavirus press briefing today, local health bosses warned that the coronavirus case rates will likely worsen over the next two weeks.

    Dr Victoria Turner, a public health consultant at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

    "We have talked for the last couple of weeks about the new variant that has been spreading from the south east of England.
    "I mean we will certainly have cases of this in North Yorkshire.
    "Now we have to act as if this is the predominant form of the virus across the country. We should treat every cases as the new variant."


    National lockdown hits Harrogate district


    The Harrogate district's streets were quiet this morning on the first full day of the third national lockdown.

    In response to an “alarming” rise in coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the new restrictions yesterday evening.

    Mr Johnson said that people across England will be asked to stay at home, only leaving for essential shopping, medical needs, work where it cannot be done from home, and to escape domestic violence.

    He concluded his announcement with the same message as he gave when last March’s first lockdown was announced: “Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.”