The Harrogate district’s covid rate has increased again after another 278 cases were reported today.
Latest government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average has risen to 1,088 per 100,000 people — slightly up on yesterday’s figure of 1,075.
It remains above the county average, which is 982, and the England rate of 998.
No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.
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The number of positive covid patients currently being treated at the hospital stands at 20.
The government will lift covid Plan B restrictions on Thursday. It means mandatory face coverings will no longer be required and vaccine passports for large scale events will be removed.
Harrogate District Hospital has reported another three deaths from patients who tested positive for coronavirus.
NHS England figures show that one death was reported on January 20 and a further two were recorded on January 21.
It takes the covid-related death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 to 210.
The Harrogate district reported another 270 cases in to today’s UK Health Security Agency figures.
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Latest government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average stands at 1,075 per 100,000 people, up marginally on yesterday’s figure of 1,073.
However, it remains above the county average, which is 981, and the England rate of 995.
The figures come as the government prepares to lift covid Plan B restrictions on Wednesday. It means mandatory face coverings will no longer be required and vaccine passports for large scale events will be removed.
The recent rapid decline of the Harrogate district’s covid rate of infection appears to have halted, with the rate beginning to nudge up again.
A total of 226 cases were confirmed in today’s government figures, taking the seven-day infection rate to 1,073 per 100,000 people.
This is slightly up on yesterday’s figure of 1,059 and remains above both the county and England averages of 974 and 992 respectively.
Central Harrogate is worst affected, with 127 infections in the last seven days. Harrogate East has had 123 cases while Harrogate West and Pannal has had 120,
It was also revealed today that a total of 106.735 booster or third jabs have been administered in the district.
From Thursday, venues and events will no longer be required by law to use the NHS covid pass and face coverings will no longer be required by law in any setting.
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Harrogate district reports 222 positive covid cases
The Harrogate district has reported 222 positive covid cases today according to UK Health Security Agency figures.
Latest government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average has dropped to 1,059 per 100,000 people.
However, it is above the county average, which is 970, and the England rate of 977.
No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.
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There are 20 covid patients currently being treated at Harrogate District Hospital.
According to government figures, 106,434 booster or third jabs have been given in the Harrogate district, as of today.
The Harrogate district has reported another 244 cases in to today’s UK Health Security Agency figures.
Latest government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average has dropped to 1,060 per 100,000 people, down marginally on yesterday’s figure of 1,061.
However, it is above the county average, which is 970, and the England rate of 977.
No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.
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The number of positive covid patients currently being treated at the hospital stands at 20.
According to government figures, 106,292 booster or third jabs have been given in the Harrogate district, as of today.
Harrogate District Hospital has recorded another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.
The hospital reported the death on Tuesday, according to NHS England figures. It takes the covid-related death toll at the hospital to 207.
Meanwhile, the number of patients who have tested positive for covid and being treated at the hospital has fallen to 20 – down by seven on last week.
Today’s figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that another 313 infections have been recorded in the Harrogate district.
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Government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average is 1,061 per 100,000 people, slightly down on yesterday’s figure of 1,078.
It remains above both the county average, which is 976, and the England rate which is 971.
The data also shows that 106,176 booster or third jabs have been given in the Harrogate district, as of today.
Councillors have backed calls for a 5% increase in taxi fares to help cover soaring fuel prices and a drop in earnings for drivers during the covid pandemic.
The rise request was made to Harrogate Borough Council whose cabinet member for housing and safer communities, Cllr Mike Chambers, will now make a final decision whether prices should go up.
If approved, the increase would make the Harrogate district the 14th most expensive council area in the UK for taxi fares, according to national trade newspaper Private Hire and Taxi Monthly.
However, local taxi drivers have argued the district’s position is not as high for journeys above two miles.
Speaking at a meeting of the council’s licensing committee on Wednesday, Cllr John Mann, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Pannal, said he appreciated that prices may be higher than some areas but taxi drivers needed support.
He said:
“We seem to be in the middle of a cost of living crisis at the moment and we are all aware prices are going up rapidly.
“If you are a taxi driver all of this is not good because it eats into your profit. I do have sympathy with the trade.”
Cllr Sue Lumby, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Coppice Valley, added:
“If the trade is not profitable, no one is going to do it.
“It may help the public to have the rise if it means we keep the taxi drivers.”
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The 5% rise would be on the running mile and waiting times of journeys, and there would also be an increase in starting prices from £3.40 to £3.60 if approved.
The request comes after warnings that as many as 50 taxi drivers in the Harrogate district quit during the previous lockdowns and many have now found new jobs with little desire to return to the trade.
Last year also saw record costs for both petrol and diesel in the UK, with diesel hitting prices of over £1.50 per litre for the first time in history.
Driver shortages
During a consultation held in September, drivers said the trade had been “badly affected” by rising costs, not just on fuel but also vehicle prices and parts.
One driver told the council:
“Needless to say we are trading in difficult circumstances due to increasing costs, driver shortages and backlogs at DVLA and other agencies which is hindering the testing of new drivers.
“Although fuel prices seem to be rising on a daily basis one has to accept this trend cannot continue indefinitely.”
The consultation was held with 500 taxi drivers, although only 30 responses were received.
Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting, Gareth Bentley, licensing manager at the council, said this was a “fairly normal” response rate for consultations held with the trade.
He added:
“Clearly the trade is finding running vehicles considerably more expensive now.
“We do start from quite a high point in terms of our fares at the moment – and we have got to balance the needs of the travelling public with the trade’s ability to make a reasonable living.”
Harrogate District Hospital has recorded another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.
The hospital reported the death on Sunday, according to NHS England figures. It takes the covid-related death toll at the hospital to 206.
Today’s figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that another 282 infections have been recorded in the Harrogate district.
Meanwhile, government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average is 1,074 per 100,000 people, down on yesterday’s figure of 1,087.
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It remains above both the county average, which is 984, and the England rate which is 966.
The data also shows that 106,105 booster or third jabs have been given in the Harrogate district, as of today.
The director of public health for North Yorkshire says she is “cautiously optimistic” that the county has seen the worst of the Omicron wave as covid infections continue to fall.
Louise Wallace told a meeting of North Yorkshire’s Outbreak Management Advisory Board today that the latest figures showed a “much better picture” with a 43% drop in the county’s weekly infection rate which now stands at 1,048 cases per 100,000 people.
Latest figures for the Harrogate District show that the rate has fallen to 1,136 per 100,000 people.
However, Ms Wallace said infections were still higher than previous months and that this was putting pressure on care homes, hospitals and schools.
She said:
“We are now seeing a decline in some of the numbers and I’m really hopeful that they are heading in the right direction.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that we are turning the tide, but we still do have 854 daily cases.
“And of course we have had changes to testing arrangements over the last few weeks which may be having an impact on some of the data.”
Latest figures show there have been seven covid-related deaths in North Yorkshire in the last week – fewer than this time last year when the county was averaging five deaths each day.
NHS staff told today’s meeting that despite this improving picture, many patients were still being hospitalised with the virus.
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They also expressed concerns that fewer people are now testing for covid and that this was “skewering” the true rates of infections and estimates on how many more patients could need hospital treatment.
This comes as the self-isolation period for people who test positive has been cut to five full days in England.
From today, people will be able to leave isolation after negative lateral flow tests on days five and six in a move to ease pressure on staffing shortages across the private and public sectors.
This was announced last week by the government which is reportedly seeing “encouraging” signs that the Plan B restrictions in England could be removed after a review on January 26.
The current restrictions include guidance to work from home, the widespread use of face coverings and NHS Covid passes for some events.
Meanwhile, teenagers aged 16 and 17 can now book their booster vaccines online from today. The top-up jabs are also being made available to clinically vulnerable 12 to 15 year olds.
The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen again today.
It now stands at 1,211 infections per 100,000 people, compared with 1,286 yesterday and 1,487 two days ago.
However, it remains above the North Yorkshire and England averages, which stand at 1,120 and 1,132 respectively.
Today’s figures, from the UK Health Security Agency, show that the district recorded a further 244 infections.
The latest figure for the number of covid patients being treated at Harrogate District Hospital is 27. The number is an increase from 23 on last week.
No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.
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