FIVE more positive test results have been announced today. That brings the cumulative total to 975.
The 7 day rolling average of positive tests reached 2.57 on Monday – the highest figure since early June.
The figures are likely to be of concern to residents. They are still below the national average and we don’t know how many tests were completed and therefore the percentage which were positive.
However, a statement from the authorities on the characteristics of the new cases is overdue.
On a more encouraging note, there have been no more deaths in any location, including the hospital and care homes.
There have been a further three positive test results announced today. The figures confirm that during August there was as steady increase in the number of COVID 19 cases in York.
There have been no firther hospital deaths
The authorities continue to remain tight lipped about the distribution and characteristics of the cases revealed recently.
There have been an additional 3 positive test results announced today. This brings the cumulative total to 967. It also confirms the upward tend in cases identified in the City. The 7 day moving average figure has steadily increased over the last few weeks.
Three more positive test results announced today bringing the cumulative total to 964. Government distribution map suggest that there is no concentration in any particular neighbourhood.
No information issued by the authorities on whether there is any link between recent cases, although numbers are higher now than they were four weeks ago.
Two more positive test results bring the cumulative total to 961. No additional hospital deaths
The number of tests carried out has increased this week
Council background narrative
Diagnosed cases (Pillar 1&2 combined)
• As at 27.8.20 York has had 959 cases, a rate of 455.3 per 100,000 of population. The rate in York is lower than national (507.2) and regional (647.2) averages. The most recent cases in York had a test specimen date of 25.8.20 (2 cases).
• 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 (24.8.20) is Red. The rating was triggered by a higher than ‘expected’ number of cases per 100 tests twice in the last 14 days (6 cases with a specimen date of 16.8.20 and 7 cases with a specimen date of 21.8.20). We know that in recent weeks the number of cases have been low in York which has an effect on the thresholds used to determine the RAG rating – a small change can mean the difference between a red, amber and green rating. The exceedance report should not be considered in isolation but in context alongside other factors such as the recent total number of cases, COVID related deaths, outbreaks as well as changes in the local testing regime and local hotspot analysis.
• The latest weekly National Covid-19 Surveillance Report released on 21.8.20 and covering the week up to 18.8.20, showed that the 7 day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population tested under Pillar 1 and 2 was 3.34 for York. York was ranked 20th out of 149 local authorities (with 1 being the lowest rate).
• The latest validated 7 day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population for York is 7.12. This is for the 7 day period up to 21.8.20. This excludes cases with a sample date in the last few days due to partial data and lags in reporting. The rate in York is lower than national (11.3) and regional (15.6) averages.
• As at 25.8.20, the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 2 only) was 0.82% (16 positives out of 1,943 tests). The positivity rate in York is lower than national (1.3%) and regional (1.7%) averages.
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 provides a breakdown by age and gender. The most recently available data is summarised below:
• ONS weekly data: For deaths occurring up to 14th August 2020 and registered up to 22nd August 2020, 171 deaths were recorded as having occurred for CYC residents (83 in hospital, 76 in care homes, 9 at home and 3 in a hospice. The number of deaths per 100,000 of population in York is 81.19 which is lower than the national average of 87.87. The most recent death reported for a York resident was in week 31 (25 to 31 July).
• ‘Excess’ deaths (ONS). In week 32 (8 August to 14 August), 21 deaths occurred in York, which is 7 fewer than the average weekly number for 2014-18. Over the last 12 weeks the total number of deaths in York has been 41 fewer than the average for the equivalent weeks in 2014-18.
• Local Registrar data: In the weekly data received on 24.8.20 (for deaths occurring up to 19.8.20), a cumulative total of 162 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 82.47, with an age range of 53-104. The age profile of those dying in York is slightly older than the national average. 86 of the 162 were male (53.1%), slightly less than the national average (55%). 81 of the deaths occurred in hospital and 81 were community deaths (e.g. at home or in a care home or hospice). 70 people (43.2%) died in nursing /care homes (the national average is 29.6%). In addition 13 people (8%) who normally resided in nursing/care homes in the CYC area, died in hospital.
Data on deaths occurring in hospital are shown below. Deaths are initially reported for York NHS Foundation Trust which includes Scarborough Hospital and the further breakdown by site can be delayed. From local registrar data, 58.5% of COVID-19 deaths occurring at York Hospital have been CYC residents. (NB NHS Trusts record deaths following a positive covid-19 test whereas ONS record deaths where covid-19 in mentioned on the death certificate so the totals are not the same).
• Deaths at York Hospital: As at 27.8.20, 134 deaths of people who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were being cared for at York Hospital have been reported. 214 deaths have been reported by the wider York NHS Trust.
York COVID deaths by neighbourhood
The ONS have published new figures today which show where COVID related deaths have occurred in the City during the period March – July.
A map showing the neighbourhood boundary can be found by clicking here
In England, the age-standardised mortality rate for deaths involving COVID-19 in the most deprived areas in July 2020 was 3.1 deaths per 100,000 population; as seen in previous months, this was more than double the mortality rate in the least deprived areas (1.4 deaths per 100,000 population).
Deaths occurring between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2020 and registered by 15 August 2020.
Figures exclude death of non-residents and are based on May 2020 boundaries.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) was the underlying cause or was mentioned on the death certificate as a contributory factor (International Classification of Diseases, tenth edition (ICD-10) codes U07.1 and U07.2).
Appeal for surplus IT equipment
The Community Furniture Store (CFS) is collecting unwanted IT devices so at these can be refurbished and donated to people in the community that don’t currently have IT access. Almost 9% of people – over 15,000 people, living in York don’t have digital access and many of these are people that are isolated and / or on a low income – older people, people that are homeless, people with disabilities, etc
They are looking for:
Laptop computers – in working order and less than 10 years old
Android tablets/Kindles
Desktop computers less than 10 years old with associated peripherals (keyboard, monitor and mouse)
Miscellaneous peripherals – especially webcams, mouses, and keyboards
All equipment should be in working order. Devices will be fully wiped and all data removed before being setup for the needs of the new user.
Donations can be taken to the Community Furniture Store at Unit 29 on the Raylor Centre, James Street. Alternatively call 01904 426444 to arrange free collection.
THREE more positive test results announced today bring the cumulative total to 959.
The 6 cases reported on 16th August have now dropped off the government’s distribution map. This had shown that at least 3 of the cases reported on 16th August were in the Woodthorpe/Acomb Park/Foxwood area.
The latest map (covering 17th August to 23rd August) suggests that there is not a concentration of new cases in any particular neighbourhood.
The number of tests completed each day is still not being revealed by the authorities. This makes it difficult to judge whether trends are getting worse or staying stable.
TWO additional positive tests results have been recorded today. That brings the cumulative total up to 955. There have been no more hospital deaths recorded.
The latest split of the cumulative death toll among York residents, released by the government today, shows that a total of 171 fatalities were recorded in the period up to 24th August.
Of these, 76 died in care homes, 9 at home, 3 in a hospice and 83 in hospital.
No fatalities have been recorded during the last two weeks.
(NB. The variance with the hospital and care home figures shown below arises out of some non residents being included in the table count)
Coronavirus case numbers in York, per head of population, remain below both the regional and national averages
The government has also updated its map which show the distribution of positive test results. The only area in York with more than 3 confirmed cases between 15th and 21st August remains the Woodthorpe/Acomb Park/Foxwood neighbourhood.
An additional FOUR positive test results have been announced today. They take the total found on Friday to 6.
The figure means that between 16th and 21st August a total of 13 positive tests were recorded in York.
The government web site has not been updated yet to show in which neighbourhood the latest cases were located.
There has also been no comment from the authorities about the background to the cases although it now seems unlikely that they would all be members of the same family.
