Leeds Covid infection rate falls for second day as people urged to stay home and 'keep new variant at bay'

It was reported yesterday that the infection rate, the number of new cases per 100,000 people in the city, had dropped for the first time since the third national lockdown was imposed.

The rate was recorded as 355 on Saturday January 9, with a positivity rate of 14 per cent.

This dropped to 346 on Sunday January 10, with the positivity rate down to 13.8.

The infection rate has now fallen for the second day running, dropping to 332.6 with a positivity rate of 13.3 per cent on Monday January 11.

Leeds City Council's chief executive has urged people to stay at home to "keep the new variant at bay".

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

A council spokesperson tweeted: "While there's been some reduction in Covid-19 rates in Leeds over the past few days - let's redouble our efforts #TogetherLeeds to get the virus under control.

"Minimise contact and stay home as much as possible to #StaySafe."

The council's chief executive Tom Riordon added: "This is good news - a second day’s reduction in case rates.

"Much more to do though to sustain this and keep the new variant at bay, so let’s keep our distance and stay home as much as we can."

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