Scarborough borough infection rate begins to rise as residents warned not to be complacent

The borough’s seven day infection rate per 100,000 people in Scarborough now stands at 228, up four on yesterday.

Today, Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said that the peak of hospital admissions had not yet been reached.

He said: “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.

“We understand that the third lockdown is hard and we are incredibly grateful for the vast majority of people in North Yorkshire sticking to the rules. We fully appreciate how heart-breaking it must be when you see the tiny minority of people flouting them as though they don’t apply to them.”

A breakdown of the hospital numbers show there are 44 patients in Harrogate, 46 in Scarborough and 162 in York.

Mobile testing sites will be in Whitby, Scarborough and Filey this week for people with coronavirus symptoms to get tested.

William Street Coach Park is offering testing seven days a week from 8am until 8pm.

Tests can be booked at https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test.