Harrogate district covid infections hit five-week low

The Harrogate district’s hopes of being in the lowest tier of restrictions when lockdown ends in 10 days time received a boost today when just 28 covid infections were reported.

The figure, from Public Health England, is the lowest since the 26 positive cases on October 18.

Infections soared after then and were well above the national average this month until a considerable recent slowdown.

Just 31 were reported yesterday.

The R number, which refers to the virus’ reproduction rate, was 1.6 a fortnight ago but is now down to 1.1.

The seven-day rolling average rate of positive cases has declined significantly from over 300 to 190.

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In more good news today, no hospital deaths were reported.

North Yorkshire was in the lowest tier of restrictions pre-lockdown and the recent trend has raised hopes it may be classified the same when the government announces new measures later this week.

Boroughbridge and Marton-cum-Grafton has become the district’s current covid hotspot, with 29 infections in the last seven day — one more than Killinghall and Hampsthwaite.

Pateley Bridge and Nidd Valley has recorded the fewest positive test results in the last seven days, with just seven.

 

 

863 covid cases in Harrogate district so far this month

A total of 863 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district so far in November.

Analysis of figures from Public Health England shows how the number of cases has soared locally, although there are signs the rate may be flattening.

In the past week alone, 426 cases were confirmed in the district.

Daily covid cases and deaths reported at Harrogate District Hospital up to November 14. Data: Public Health England/NHS England. Graph: The Stray Ferret.

Daily covid cases and deaths reported at Harrogate District Hospital up to November 14. Data: Public Health England/NHS England. Graph: The Stray Ferret.

Unless infections fall significantly in the next fortnight, the monthly total will comfortably surpass the 1,353 recorded in October.

There were a record 95 infections on Monday last week but by Saturday the number had fallen to 34. The R number has also declined from 1.6 to 1.4.

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Meanwhile, the latest data from North Yorkshire County Council shows the average rate of infections per 100,000 people stands at 265 – down from a record high of 307 last week. The latest figure refers to the seven days to November 12.

The data overall suggests the impact of the national lockdown on November 5 may be having an effect.

Only one Harrogate district area – Knaresborough North – is currently in the top 10 places in the county for the most covid cases. It has recorded 46 infections in the last seven days.

Eight of the areas in the top 10 are in the Scarborough borough, with Filey and Hummanby reporting the most of all with 84.

Two further coronavirus deaths at Harrogate hospital

Two coronavirus deaths have been confirmed on the same day at Harrogate District Hospital, according to latest NHS England figures.

Both deaths were recorded on November 11. It takes the total number confirmed at the hospital since the start of the pandemic to 93.

It comes as a further 53 coronavirus cases have been tested positive in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Public Health England data.

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The figure takes the total case number since March up to 3,300.

Meanwhile, the district’s weekly rate stands at 294 per 100,000 people.

It is the second highest in the county behind Scarborough, which stands at 580.

North Yorkshire is still tracking above the national average. The county has a rate of 311 compared with the England average of 267.

A further 69 coronavirus cases in Harrogate district

A further 69 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Public Health England figures.

It takes the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic up to 3,247.

Meanwhile, the district’s weekly rate has dropped to 292 per 100,000 people but is still above the England average of 257.

Scarborough continues to have the highest rate of all the districts in the county at 576.

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It comes as Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital could become a vaccination centre when a coronavirus vaccine is ready to be rolled out.

The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said the country’s Nightingales were “one possible way” of offering the vaccine to significant numbers of people.

Third covid death at Harrogate hospital since second lockdown

Harrogate District Hospital has reported a third coronavirus deaths since the start of the second lockdown.

According to NHS England statistics today, the latest death was reported on November 9 and follows two deaths recorded on November 5.

They bring the total number of deaths at the hospital since the start of the pandemic to 91.

The number of covid patients in the hospital has nearly doubled since last week.

Today, county council bosses warned that North Yorkshire faces further restrictions after lockdown if infections are not brought under control.

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Currently the county is above the national average for weekly case rates, with 280 cases per 100,000 people.

The England average is 245.

Scarborough’s rate is the highest of the seven North Yorkshire districts at 463, with Harrogate second on 294.

According to Public Health England figures, the Harrogate district recorded a further 64 positive cases in the last 24 hours.

It takes the total number since the start of the pandemic to 3,103.

Meanwhile, it was revealed at a press briefing today that the permanent testing site on Dragon Parade, in Harrogate is testing on average 200 people per day. The number is up on 150 last week.

3 pupils test positive for covid at Harrogate’s Rossett School

Three pupils have tested positive for coronavirus at Rossett School in Harrogate.

Parents were informed of the news yesterday in a letter from headteacher Helen Woodcock, which described the infections as ‘single, unconnected confirmed cases’.

It is believed about 60 pupils are isolating as a result of the infections.

The letter says:

“We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England.

“The students who have been in direct prolonged contact with the confirmed cases will also have received an additional letter and will be self-isolating for the allocated period.

“The school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well.”

The letter urges any children that develop covid symptoms to isolate for at least 10 days. It adds other household members, or members of support bubbles, should also not leave the house.

Nobody at Rossett School, which has 1,400 pupils, was available for comment.

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Harrogate district records 67 coronavirus cases after IT error

The Harrogate district recorded 67 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday after a Public Health England technical issue saw nearly 16,000 cases go unreported.

The number is considerably higher than any reported daily figure for the district since the pandemic began.

However, it is difficult to read too much into the number considering the technical error meant many cases were not reported for a week.

It takes the total number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic up to 1,161.

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Over the weekend, Public Health England said an IT issue meant 15,841 cases nationally between September 25 and October 2 went unreported.

The organisation said those who tested positive had been informed informed. But those who came into close contact with them were not.

A notice on the PHE coronavirus statistics page added:

“This means the total reported over the coming days will include some additional cases from the period between September 24 and October 1.”

10 new cases of coronavirus in Harrogate district

Ten more people in the Harrogate district have contracted coronavirus, according to the latest daily figure by Public Health England.

The figure takes the total number of cases in the district to 910.

Despite the increase, Harrogate was not among the places in North Yorkshire to be named as ‘areas of concern’ by Public Health England yesterday.

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Everywhere covered by Selby District Council and Scarborough Borough Council were identified as areas of concern due to a rise in coronavirus cases.

North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a group of organisations that coordinates the county’s response to coronavirus, said this week it was concerned about rising infection rates in Harrogate.

But the town has so far been spared any extra measures amid rising concerns nationally about the increase in infections.

Six cases of coronavirus confirmed in Harrogate district

Six cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate District this past week, according to Public Health England figures.

The data has been released by government on a localised map which shows the number of cases at a neighbourhood level across the country.

Between July 27 and August 4, six cases tested positive in the Spofforth, Burn Bridge and Huby area.

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However, data for areas where fewer than two positive cases have been reported is not included.

So far, 733 cases have tested positive in the Harrogate district from the start of the pandemic with 2,591 in the wider county.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week that the prevalence of the virus is “likely to be rising” in England and delayed some lockdown easing measures.

Meanwhile, fears of a second spike in areas such as Greater Manchester, Kirklees, Calderdale and Bradford led to Secretary of State, Matt Hancock, imposing a local lockdowns.