Health officials hail 'ray of sunshine' as Covid figures show signs of recovery in Harrogate

For the first time this year, the borough's seven-day infection rate per 100,000 people has fallen below the 100 mark and there is more cause for optimism in that everyone in the top four priority groups has now had a vaccine offer.

However, officials have warned there is still a long way to go before celebrating a major turning point in the pandemic as they revealed Harrogate hospital is still treating a record number of Covid-positive patients.

While most hospitals in North Yorkshire have seen a drop in patient numbers, Harrogate remains stubbornly high at 65 - a figure which is above the first peak in spring when 45 beds were occupied.

Jane Hawkard, chief financial officer at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said despite improvements in some areas, hospitals across the county were still "extremely busy".

"We continue to see a more sustained overall fall of Covid-positive patients in our hospitals," she told a briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum today.

"However, hospitals are still extremely busy. At the first peak we didn't do elective work and this time we are combining caring for our Covid-positive patients as well as non-Covid activity. In Harrogate, the numbers are still remaining fairly steady at a high level and still above the first peak."

She added: "All our primary care networks in North Yorkshire have confirmed that they have offered 100% of eligible patients vaccinations in cohorts one to four and we would like to thank everyone involved in that effort - it's a great milestone."

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The seven-day infection rate in Harrogate currently stands at 98 cases per 100,000 people. The last time it was at this level was on 21 December.

Elsewhere in North Yorkshire, the infection rate in Craven is 48, Scarborough 60, Ryedale 92, Selby 119, Hambleton 129 and Richmondshire 132.These are all below the national average of 137.

North Yorkshire Police assistant chief constable Mike Walker told today's briefing that the reduction in rates across the county was "greatly heartening" but also revealed the force has had its busiest ever week during the third lockdown with 186 Covid fines handed out in the last seven days.

He said this included two people who had travelled from Glasgow and Wakefield to "meet up" in Harrogate.

"This is not the time to become complacent about the coronavirus," he said, "we have got to keep going and make sure that all the hard work and sacrifices have been for a worthwhile purpose.

"As for the reckless minority who think the regulations do not apply to them, we will continue to actively target those blatant breaches whilst providing a highly visible and reassuring presence for the wider community who are doing the right thing."

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, added: "For the first time since the 8 December the average infection rate per 100,000 in North Yorkshire is below 100.

"It has been quite a difficult journey to get to this point and there is still a lot more to do because 100 is still a very high level of infection.

"It just, however, begins to give us a few more signals of hope and rays of sunshine along the vaccination programme.

"Thank you to everybody who has contributed to that improvement in infection rates."

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter