Coronavirus York updates; 19th February 2021

Deaths

One hospital death reported today. It occurred on Wednesday.

The death rate is beginning to fall again after a spike earlier in the week.

Test results

NINETEEN additional positive test results today. Brings the cumulative total to 11,660

The rate /100k population figure has today resumed its downward trend. It now stands at 80.24. That is the lowest infection rate recorded since 14th December 2020.

The comparative case rate figures between Lockdown 2 and Lockdown 3 (current) have been updated.

It may be worth noting that there were inconsistent days during and immediately after the end of Lockdown 2 with some short term spikes in numbers.

This may happen again as we reach the end of Lockdown 3.

Infection rates continue to fall at all levels. They are falling more slowly at Yorkshire regional level than elsewhere.

Neighbourhoods

We now have six neigbourhoods with infection rates below 50.

Haxby is currently recording only 2 cases.

Vaccinations

The York Council is reporting (see below) that 25% of residents have now been vaccinated (first dose).

Tests

During the week ending 14th February, 4416 people in York took PCR tests.

Of those, 4.1% were positive.

861 lateral flow tests were conducted on 18th February

Hospital

There were 79 COVID-19 patients being cared for by the York Hospital Trust on 16th February. 11 were in intensive care

Council commentary updated

The York Councils commentary on the pandemic has been updated on its “open data” website. It is reproduced below for convenience

The data is accurate as at 8.00 a.m. on Friday 19.02.21. Some narrative for the data covering the latest period is provided here below:

People with Covid Symptoms

• NHS Pathways/111 triages – as at 15.2.21 there had been 91 total covid triages in the CYC area in the last 7 days. The peak number of triages was 653 in the 7 day period to 20.9.20.

• As at 18.2.21, the Covid Symptom App estimates 212.3 per 100,000 in York with symptomatic covid (responses from a sample of 4,681 people). The peak rate was 1,282.6 on 7.1.21.

Diagnosed cases

• As at 17.2.21 York has had 11,641 cases since the start of the pandemic, a rate of 5,527 per 100,000 of population. The cumulative rate in York is below the national (6,356) and regional (6,265) averages.

• The PHE ‘Exceedance’ rating compares the no. of new cases over a 14 day period with the previous 6 weeks and provides a RAG rating to indicate if the previously observed trend in the no. of new cases is worsening. The latest rating for York (16.2.21) is Green.

• The provisional rate of new Covid cases per 100,000 of population for the period 10.2.21 to 16.2.21 in York is 65.5 (using data published on Gov.uk on 18.2.21).

• The latest official “validated” rate of new Covid cases per 100,000 of population for the period 7.2.21 to 13.2.21 was 86.4. The national and regional averages at this date were 137.8 and 152 respectively (using data published on Gov.uk on 18.2.21).

• York is currently ranked 23rd out of 149 Upper Tier Local Authorities (UTLAs) in England with a rank of 1 indicating the lowest 7 day rate.

• For the 7 day period 6.2.21.to 12.2.21, 5 wards in York (Huntington & New Earswick, Westfield, Acomb, Micklegate and Copmanthorpe) have seen a statistically significant fall in rates compared with the 7 day period 30.1.21 to 5.2.21. For the remaining wards there has been no statistically significant change in rates. No wards have seen a significant increase in rates in this period.

• The rate of new Covid cases per 100,000 of population for the period 7.2.21 to 13.2.21 for people aged 60+ in York was 64.6. The national and regional averages were 102.7 and 101.4 respectively.

• As at 15.2.21, the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 2 PCR tests only) was 4.15%. The national and regional averages are 5.9% and 7.1% respectively.

• As at 15.2.21 the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 2 Lateral Flow Tests only) was 0.41%. The national and regional averages are 0.3% and 0.3% respectively.

• As at 16.2.21 the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 1 tests only) was 2.8%. The national average is 4.0%.

• As at 18.2.21 York University reported 8 individuals within the University community who were currently self-isolating because they have had a positive COVID-19 test. The peak number was 331 on the 19.10.20.

• As at 15.2.21 York St. John reported 7 individuals within the University community who were currently self-isolating because they have had a positive COVID-19 test. The peak number was 82 on the 8.10.20.

Contact Tracing

• Since 28.5.20 a total of 10,744 laboratory confirmed CYC Covid cases have been uploaded into the NHS Test and Trace system and 9,678 of the cases have been completed (90.1%). 25,070 ‘contacts’ have been identified and 18,842 of these have been completed (75.2%). Source: PHE Report.

• Local Tracing of Cases: Between 22.10.20 and 12.2.21, 905 referrals had been actioned by the local contact tracing service. Of the referrals actioned, 578 (63.9%) were successful and 327 (36.1%) were unable to be reached via phone or home visit, but guidance leaflets were posted where possible.

Cases in Residential Care Settings

• As at 18.2.21 there were 6 care homes in the CYC area with confirmed Covid-19 infection (at least 1 case of either a staff member or resident).

• The latest ‘outbreak’ (2+ cases) in a residential care setting in York was reported by PHE on 15.2.21 (1 home).

Cases amongst School Aged Children

• In the 7 days up to 14.2.21 there were 8 children of primary and secondary school age who tested positive. NB Currently the majority of York children are not in the school setting.

COVID Bed Occupancy in York Hospital

• As at 17.2.21 there were 55 confirmed Covid-19 patients in General and Acute beds. The figure a week ago (10.2.21) was 85.

• As at 17.2.21 there were 9 confirmed Covid-19 patients and 0 suspected Covid-19 patient in the Intensive Treatment Unit. The figures a week ago (10.2.21) were 13 and 0 respectively.

• As at 17.2.21 there had been 0 patients admitted with suspected Covid-19 and 2 with confirmed Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours.

• As at 17.2.21 there had been 5 confirmed patients discharged with COVID-19 in last 24 hours.

Covid Patients (CYC Residents) discharged from York Hospital

• Between 8.2.21 and 14.2.21, 36 CYC residents were discharged from York hospital after needing NHS care for symptoms linked to covid-19 infection.

R Number

• The ‘R’ value (the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to, on average) for the North East and Yorkshire area on 12.2.21 was estimated to be in the range 0.8 to 0.9. The previous estimate was (0.8 to 1.0) on 5.2.21.

Vaccinations

• As at 17.2.21 54,289 CYC residents have received the first dose and 1,077 had received both doses.

Deaths

The two sources about deaths from Covid-19 at LA level are ONS data and local registrar data. They are derived from the same source (civil registration data). ONS data is more comprehensive as it includes deaths of York residents which have occurred and been registered outside York. Local registrar data is useful as it enables a breakdown by age and gender. The most recently available data is summarised below:

• ONS weekly data: In the most recent period (Week 5: 30.1.20 to 5.2.20) 17 Covid-19 deaths were recorded as having occurred for CYC residents (12 in hospital and 5 in a care home). In weeks 3 and 4 there had been 31 and 26 deaths respectively).

• ONS Cumulative data: Since the start of the pandemic, for deaths occurring up to 5th February 2021 and registered up to 13th February 2021, 337 Covid-19 deaths were recorded as having occurred for CYC residents (196 in hospital, 116 in care homes, 18 at home and 7 in a hospice). The number of deaths per 100,000 of population in York is 160 which is lower than the national average of 198.4.

• Local Registrar data (Cumulative): Since the start of the pandemic (using data for deaths occurring up to 10.2.21), a cumulative total of 329 deaths of CYC residents where COVID-19 was mentioned (confirmed or suspected) on the death certificate, have been registered. The average age of the people who died was 82.5, with an age range of 44-104. The age profile of those dying in York is older than the national average (80.5% of those who died in York were aged 75+ compared with 74.1% nationally). 154 of the 329 were male (47.7%), less than the national average (54.3%).

Football season comes to premature end for York City

Following a vote of clubs, the National League North and South fixtures for the current season have been declared “null and void”.

Some clubs had been left with an improbable backlog of 30+ fixtures to complete in just 3 months as a result of COVID-19 restrictions and weather postponements.

Clubs also claimed that the government promises, to backfill the income lost from playing behind closed doors, had not been fulfilled.

It means that York City’s fixture against Fylde, which was the first to take place at the new Community Stadium on Tuesday, will be the last until next season.

York City v Fylde

Friendly fixtures may resume on July by which time it is hoped that spectators will be permitted to attend.

The York Knights rugby matches are expected to start on 2nd April although their first fixture, against Toulouse, is likely to be staged behind closed doors at the Community Stadium.