Leeds infection rate increases as Boris set to announce lockdown exit strategy

On Monday, the Prime Minister will unveil a 60-page document to explain his plan to MPs, before addressing the nation at a briefing from Downing Street in the evening.

The PM’s road map will contain four tests for easing the measures, with Ministers assessing the success of the vaccine rollout, evidence of vaccine efficacy, new variants and infection rates before proceeding to the next step.

In Leeds, a total of 55,958 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since the pandemic began up to Saturday, February 20, according to the latest Government data.

CEO Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan, said that the Leeds case rate was 162.2 per 100k as of Sunday, February 21.

This is up from 158.2 per 100k.

Mr Riordan said: "Leeds case rate up again to 162.6 per 100k (from 158.2) and positivity also up to 8% (from 7.8%).

"Please act as if you’ve got the virus by staying in unless it’s vital, keeping your distance & taking the vaccine when called by the NHS."

How many Covid patients are being treated in Leeds hospitals?

According to Government data on healthcare, 24 patients with Covid-19 were admitted to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust sites on February 14 - the most recent date for which figures are available.

It brings the total number of coronavirus patients admitted to the trust's hospitals since the pandemic began to 4,821.

The highest number of admissions recorded to date was 52 patients on November 11 2020.

As of February 16, 205 of those patients remained in hospital for treatment including 30 in mechanical ventilation beds.

The highest number of Covid patients being treated on any one day was 331 on November 22 2020, with the most patients in mechanical ventilation beds being reported as 45 on April 23 2020.

Figures for the number of patients discharged are not currently provided on a daily basis.

However, the latest NHS England data shows a total of 2,826 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 were discharged between March 19 2020 and February 3 2021.

How many Covid tests have been carried out in Leeds?

According to the latest Government figures, 7.8 per cent of the 18,957 people in Leeds who received a PCR test went on to receive a positive result in the week ending February 15.

The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are lab-based and test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The figures also show that 1,731 lateral flow test results were provided on February 19 in Leeds, bringing the total to date to 130,418.

Those figures represent the number of confirmed positive, negative or void lateral flow device test results. This is a count of test results and may include multiple tests for an individual person.

Lateral flow devices test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus and are swab tests that give results in less than an hour, without needing to go to a laboratory. They have been used in trials of mass testing in schools, universities and care homes.