Deaths
There have been no further hospital deaths announced today. The last fatality at the York Hospital Trust occurred on 7th March.
Test results
Eleven positive test results announced today. Brings cumulative total up to 12,048
The number of cases in the City has fallen by 2 from yesterday’s 110 to 108 today.
The rate /110k population figure has fallen slightly to 51.28, It is expected to be stable at around 53 for the next two days before possibly resuming a downward trend around the middle of next week.
Case numbers are stable at county, regional and national level. This suggests that the return to school may have inhibited a further reduction in infection rates.
Neighbourhoods
It is a mixed picture at neighbourhood level, with the largest increase in case numbers (4) being seen in the Woodthorpe/Acomb Park/Foxwood South neighbourhood.
On the other hand, 2 neighbourhoods now have no cases.
Vaccinations
Tests
4160 PCR test were carried out in York during the week ending 8th March.
Of these, 1.7% were positive. This is a reduction on the previous days figure of 1.9%
2677 lateral flow tests were also carried out on 12th March 2021
Infections in school children
The Council has issued a statement (see below) saying that 15,000 COVID tests were carried out on York school pupils between 1st and 7th March.
Subsequently 97% of children returned to school.
The media release doesn’t say how many tests were positive but a separate report published yesterday says
“in the 7 days up to 8.3.21 there were 34 children of primary and secondary school age who tested positive.
Widespread testing of secondary school aged children took place prior to the return to school on March 8th.
The majority of children who tested positive were of secondary school age and were picked up as asymptomatic cases through this testing programme“.
34 cases (31%) will have had an impact on the total number of positive test results seen during that period (110).
It may help to explain the recent spike in infection numbers.
The number of cases in the City (7 day rolling average) increased from 96 on the 3rd March to 110 on the 7th March.
The information does emphasise the need for people to take regular COVID tests.
The authorities are under pressure to ensure that anyone planning to reopen their business in April should ensure that all staff are tested on a regular basis.
Council statement
“York’s education leaders have thanked parents and pupils for their support in getting all children an young people back to school and college on Monday (8 March).
With one in three people with CPVID not showing any symptoms, all secondary school pupils were advised to get symptom free tests before returning to school.
Just under 15,000 tests were carried out for school pupils in York last week (1-7 March), showing the city’s incredible support for testing.
Attendance in York schools has also been incredibly high, with 97% of all pupils attending on Monday.
Cllr Keith Orrell, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:
I know how hard the last few months have been for children, young people and parents and carers, and I’m delighted that our schools and colleges are once again open to all pupils, supporting their social, wellbeing and educational needs.
“Symptom free testing is one of the key ways we can reduce the spread of the virus in the city and I’m so pleased that parents and pupils have supported the testing programme in such large numbers. It really will help us to keep schools and colleges open.
“I also want to thank everyone in schools and the education and health teams who have worked hard to ensure the systems were in place to allow pupils to access the tests they needed. This has been a huge effort and I am grateful to everyone involved for making sure this happened on time for schools to open for all students on Monday.
“I would urge pupils to continue to get their symptom free tests as home testing kits become available next week.”