Leeds Covid infection rate "likely to continue to rise" as third national lockdown legally comes into force

The latest figures since before the national lockdown legally came into force were published on January 5, when the Covid infection rate in Leeds was 271.6 cases per 100,000 people.

This is at a positivity rate of 13.8 per cent.

In comparison on January 4, the case rate was 253.5 cases per 100,000 people at a positivity rate of 13.6 per cent.

--> The areas in Leeds where the Covid infection rates are rising fastest.

Although the third national lockdown legally came into force on Wednesday, the CEO of Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan, has said that the case numbers are likely to continue to rise due to the "lag factor from Christmas about to materialise".

He urged those living in the city to "please stay safe".

--> New lockdown rules for Leeds and West Yorkshire

The infection rate across the city has continued to rise since the New Year, where the positivity rate on New Year's Eve was 8.4 per cent.

In the space of just under a week the positivity rate has therefore risen by 5.4 per cent and the case rate since the New Year has seen a 41.5 per cent increase.

Leeds Council tweeted: "Since the government announced the national lockdown the latest Leeds covid-19 rate continues to rise and stands at 271.6 per 100k people, positivity 13.8% (253.5/13.6% Mon).

Please #staysafe and we'll get through this #TogetherLeeds."

And Tom Riordan retweeted the tweet with his own message: "New numbers for Leeds below.

"Series of Gold mtgs today with NHS, partners, elected members & @LeedsCC_News colleagues to move the city swiftly to lockdown footing.

"Case numbers likely to continue to rise due to lag factor from Christmas about to materialise so please stay safe."

The new lockdown rules mean you should stay at home, apart from to shop for essentials, to work if you cannot work from home, to exercise or get medicine.

Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges must move to online provision except for vulnerable children and children of key workers.

You cannot mix with any other household.

Non essential shops will be closed - see the full details on shops and businesses closed here.

Gyms will be closed and exercise is limited.

The lockdown began on Wednesday morning, and is expected to be in effect until at least February half term, so it is roughly six weeks at a minimum.

Boris Johnson said: "By the middle of February, we expect to have offered the first vaccine dose to everyone in the top four priority groups. That means all residents of a care home and their carers, everyone over the age of 70, all frontline health and social care workers and everyone clinically extremely vulnerable. If we succeed in vaccinating all those groups, we will have removed those people from the path of the virus.

"There is a time lag between getting the jab and immunity and there is a further lag on the impact on the NHS. If the rollout of the vaccine programmes continue to be successful and if deaths start to fall as the vaccine takes effect, and if everyone plays their part.

"I know how tough this is and I know you have had more than enough of government guidance in beating this virus.

"You must once again stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."