New Covid-19 cases are continuing to fall in Richmondshire — despite the district having the highest rate of infections in North Yorkshire.
The latest data shows there were 187 new cases recorded in the district in the seven days up to January 17.
This gives a rate of 348 cases per 100,000 people, which is currently the highest in North Yorkshire.
The rate reached a high of 575 on January 4 and has been falling ever since.
The average daily rate of new cases in the district is now 27.
The data shows Catterick Garrison and Colburn has had the highest number of cases of any local area in the county.
There were 99 new cases in the town in the seven days up to January 15.
The figures for elsewhere in the district were:
- Richmond Town – 40
- North Richmondshire – 26
- Catterick, Brompton-on-Swale – 12
- Leyburn, Middleham and Tunstall – 12
- Upper Dales – 10
North Yorkshire County Council chief executive Richard Flinton said that while cases were coming down, hospital admissions due to covid were still rising.
“While we are seeing some early indications that the transmission rate for Covid-19 here is beginning to reduce, the figures are volatile and the clear message from the NHS in York and North Yorkshire is that we are not yet at the peak for hospital admissions.
“I have mentioned before that there is a lag of 10 to 14 days, more in some cases, between someone testing positive for covid and that person requiring hospital care, if they develop the more serious symptoms.
“Today, the latest data shows that there are 471 people in the hospitals serving our area needing treatment for covid.
“That is an increase of 84 patients in just a week and a staggering 169 more people than were admitted in the first wave back in spring last year.
“There are more than 50 people in our hospitals right now in intensive care.
“Each one of those people has a family desperately hoping for good news. Each one is being treated by NHS staff selflessly battling on in extremely difficult conditions, wearing full PPE and often working long, exhausting shifts fighting to save people to send them back to their loved ones.”
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