Harrogate hospital coronavirus death toll hits 133 amid record high patient numbers

NHS figures released today show one patient who tested positive for Covid-19 died at the hospital on Tuesday, February 2.

It comes after the hospital this week became the only one in North Yorkshire to report a rise in Covid admissions with a total of 64 patients – a record high.

That figure has risen by 10 since last week and more than tripled since the start of January – and health officials have warned it will take some time for the numbers to decline.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, told a briefing today: “I don’t think we are going to see a significant and quick drop in the numbers of admissions.

“We do hope to see a consistent, steady decline and members of the public will help to achieve that by continuing to comply with the guidance.”

Across North Yorkshire, a total of 440 patients are currently in hospital with coronavirus and 50 have become so ill they are in intensive care.

The seven-day infection rate per 100,000 people in the county currently stands at 160, whilst the same figure for Harrogate is slightly higher at 180.

These are both below the national average of 256.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter