Coronavirus in Leeds: Infections stable but over 60s rate is rising

The rate has fallen for the third consecutive day, however this time it is only slightly which means Leeds' infection is "stable".

The latest rates in Leeds were recorded on Tuesday January 12 at 332.2 cases per 100,000 people, which is down from 332.6 cases per 100,000 people on Monday January 11.

Tuesday's recorded positivity rate was 12.5 per cent, which has dropped from 13.3 per cent on Monday.

This drop was the second consecutive day that cases had fallen, but people have been urged to stay home and 'keep new variant at bay' by the CEO of Leeds Council.

Despite these falls, the case rate for over 60s on Tuesday was up to 223.6 cases per 100,000 people which is a 9.6 per cent increase from just under a week before on Wednesday January 6.

The over 60s rate on January 6 was at 204 cases per 100,000 people.

The CEO of Leeds City Council Tom Riordan tweeted on January 12: "Leeds cases stable at 332.2 per 100k (from 332.6).

"Positivity down to 12.5%.

"Over-60s rate up to 223.6 per 100k.

"Hospital admissions still rising and case rate forecast to rise again tomorrow.

"We’re making progress but much more to do.

"Please keep yr distance & stay home if you can

Sunday January 10 was the first time the case rate had fallen in Leeds since the first national lockdown began.

However, the CEO of Leeds City Council Tom Riordan has said that in order for the decrease to be a trend "we need three or four days of similar" as "it may go back up."

He "hopes it continues" and referred to the case decrease as "at last brighter news".

He tweeted on January 10: "At last brighter news.

"Leeds case rate down (from 355) to 346 per 100k & positivity 13.8%.

"We need 3 or 4 days of similar for this to be a trend as it may go back up, but let’s hope this continues.

"The way to be sure is to stay at home if you can & keep your distance if you can’t."

The mutant strain of coronavirus now makes up one in five new cases in Leeds, up from one in 20 cases at Christmas.

Virus mutations are common, but experts have said one of the variants discovered last year may be up to 70 per cent more transmissible.

England’s deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam has suggested an increase in the social distancing recommendation would play little role in controlling the spread of the new coronavirus variant.

Reports have suggested Government scientists want the recommended gap increased from one metre, if mitigation measures such as masks or screens are in place, to two metres.

That would mean an increase in distancing from two metres to three metres without mitigation.

Prof Van-Tam told LBC Radio: “The question you are asking is whether the new variant is really going to be capable of moving a greater distance, and that doesn’t kind of fit with my biological understanding, because the distance relates to the force of the cough or the sneeze or the respiratory droplet that flies out of you.

“Unless we were saying that the variant makes you cough in a different way or cough more violently, I can’t see how you can gain that extra distance, like in the long jump as it were.”

The “cloud of viruses” around an infected person with the more infectious variant were not “way out here” but “if you breach those safety distances the chances of you picking it up are higher”.