Covid-19: 'Major incident' in North Yorkshire; eight new cases recorded in Scarborough borough in last day

The North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF) last night issued a warning that urgent action was needed if a local lockdown was to be avoided.

In Scarborough, plans are being put in place to restrict visits to care homes if required and warnings have been issued that there is evidence of increased community transmission in Whitby.

People are also being asked to wear masks when they leave the house and to avoid large gatherings and to maintain social distancing and hygiene.

Businesses and event organisers are also being asked to re-think indoor or outdoor events that involved more than 30 people.

North Yorkshire County Council’s chief executive and chairman of the NYLRF Richard Flinton said last night that the situation in some areas of the county was “worrying”.

He said: “Your response to the ‘asks’ we put to you will be critical. Only your actions – the choices each and every one of you make in the days and weeks ahead – will turn the tide in the areas where we are seeing positive cases rise and help protect those where we are not. To be clear, we cannot do this without your support.

“As I mentioned last week, the rise in positive tests in the Selby and Harrogate areas, as well as Scarborough, were being carefully monitored.

“We have watched these extremely carefully and examined the data daily and over the past week. I am sorry to say that positive tests in Harrogate remain a worry, but of particular concern is the rapid increase in Selby and Scarborough, specifically Whitby. Like you, we are extremely keen to avoid enforced lockdowns if that is possible.

“We desperately want our children to be able to attend school and other education settings so everything we ask, or action we take, will look to preserve their learning. It’s so important for their future prospects and for their mental health.”

The eight new cases in Scarborough brings the borough’s total since the start of the pandemic to 660.

The data includes tests carried out in hospitals and also Pillar 2 tests, which is anyone tested at one of the mobile sites in the borough or sent a test to take at home.