Harrogate sees almost 30 new coronavirus cases in two weeks but 'still no concern' over local lockdown

The district’s total number of confirmed infections since the pandemic began grew by 27, from 737 on August 12 to 764 on August 26.

Experts have said the jump in cases is unlikely to be down to the start of a second wave, saying the more feasible explanation is that daily tests have increased.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, the county’s director of public health, said: “The number of new cases in the county is currently around 5 per day.

“Cases are generally linked to routine testing of care homes and staff, small outbreaks in workplaces and hospitality settings, or transmission within households.

“There is nothing to suggest any concern about a lockdown at this time. However, we continue to monitor the number of new cases.”

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Despite the rise in confirmed cases, the number of patients in hospital with the virus continues to decline nationally.

And it comes as Harrogate District Hospital has now gone more than five weeks without reporting a single coronavirus death.

At the start of the pandemic, the hospital reported its first Covid-19 death on March 20 and the most recent was reported on July 19.

It means the hospital’s death toll remains at 82, with a further 107 deaths being reported by Harrogate district care homes.

The hospital announced at the end of July that it had no coronavirus positive patients for the first time since the pandemic began, but it has not revealed whether it has since taken any newly infected patients.

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Dr Sargeant said across the county there has been an increase in cases in young adults, particularly those between 10 and 29-years-old.

He said although young people are less likely to show symptoms or have severe illness from the disease, there is still a risk of spreading to those who are more susceptible to severe illness and death.

He added: “It is difficult to say what would happen in the future but we are applying the learning from other areas that have been subjected to these measures.

“Although lockdown restrictions have been eased, individuals should still avoid large gatherings and maintain 2 metre social distancing from people outside their household.”

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter