One year on: The first Covid cases were found in Yorkshire one year ago - this is what's happened in Yorkshire since

It has now been a year since the Yorkshire Post reported on the first cases of Covid to hit the UK - in a York hotel.
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What happened?

On that Wednesday afternoon in January 2020, paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service were called to the Staycity apartment-hotel on Paragon Street.

As reported by the YP, a man was taken to hospital on Wednesday evening and witnesses saw paramedics wearing quarantine suits treat him at around 8pm.

The hotel in York where the two people were staying Picture: Danny Lawson/PA WireThe hotel in York where the two people were staying Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
The hotel in York where the two people were staying Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
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He was staying at the Staycity aparthotel on Paragon Street, near York Barbican, with two companions when he fell ill.

The man's room was cordoned off and deep cleaned - but the hotel stayed open to guests.

What did the hotel say?

A statement from hotel owners Staycity Group on the day said: "Staycity Group have confirmed that a man staying at the group’s property in York was taken ill yesterday and is understood to be undergoing tests at a local hospital.

"Paramedics accompanied the man, along with his two travelling companions, out of the property at around 7.50pm last night.

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"Staycity is unable to confirm which hospital the three people were taken to or what the outcome of the tests are at this point.

"Until more is known the apartment containing the group’s belongings will be cordoned off, along with surrounding rooms, after which the area will undergo a thorough environmental clean and disinfection, as is company policy."

York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust would not confirm on whether they were treating the man and Public Health England did not comment on individual cases.

What was the situation in the UK at the time?

At the time, there were no confirmed confirmed cases in the UK so far but 130 people had been tested for coronavirus, most of them travellers who had recently returned from Wuhan.

So what is coronavirus?

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Coronavirus (Covid-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) first learned of this new virus on December 31 2019, following a report of a cluster of cases of viral pneumonia in Wuhan, China.

Covid-19 is believed to have a zoonotic origin, meaning it was active in animals before it was transmitted to humans.

The most common symptoms of the virus are a fever, a dry cough and fatigue.

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Symptoms of severe Covid‐19 disease include shortness of breath, loss of appetite, confusion, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, and a temperature above 38C.

About 80% of people recover from the disease without needing hospital treatment, about 15% become seriously ill and require oxygen and 5% become critically ill and need intensive care, according to the WHO.

It was thought early in the pandemic that the outbreak may have started in Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which sold live animals.

The case in York was the first recorded in the UK.

What has happened since?

Since then, more than 100,000 people in the UK have died with the virus.

In Yorkshire, the death statistics paint a tragic picture.

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More than 7,500 people have died in our region - including doctors, nurses and medical staff on the front line.

In Leeds, at least 1,000 people have died in the city's hospitals.

According to Government data, a total of 1,060 patients across all hospital trusts and community settings in Leeds have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 up to January 28.

This equates to 129.7 deaths per 100,000 people since the pandemic began, with the highest daily total being 19 deaths on November 7 2020.

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Separate Office for National Statistics data, updated weekly, shows there have been a total of 1,303 deaths recorded in Leeds where the death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causes.

This equates to 160.2 deaths per 100,000 people since the pandemic began.

New variants have sparked further lockdowns and the UK is currently in the third full lockdown of the past 12 months.

What are the council doing this weekend in tribute?

As a mark of respect, buildings including Leeds Civic Hall, Leeds Town Hall, Leeds City Museum, Leeds Arena and Leeds University's Parkinson Building will be illuminated blue this weekend, in tribute to selfless NHS staff working in hospitals and care settings, and yellow, the colour which symbolises grief awareness.

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The sombre landmark comes amid the more positive news that almost 80,000 people in Leeds have now received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with vaccination sites up and running at venues around the city.

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council said: “This weekend we reach a solemn milestone for our city and for the whole country as we mark one year since the beginning of what has been one of the most anxious and uncertain times in living memory.

“The profound sadness of losing so many lives cannot be overstated and commemorating that loss and expressing our solidarity with those who have said goodbye to friends, loved ones and family members will be a poignant moment.

“The pandemic has also seen some truly inspiring examples of courage and unity, from the health and care workers who have given so much in the fight against the virus to those who have pitched in to support their neighbours and communities. This tribute will also recognise their enduring courage and spirit in these toughest of times."

There is hope in the UK's fight against the virus.

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In early December, the UK became the first country in the world to approve the coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, before approving a vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca later in the month.

The current lockdown is set to be reviewed in February.

Is the number of Covid cases rising in Leeds?

According to the latest Government figures, 301 people in Leeds tested positive for Covid-19 on January 28. It brings the total number of people who have tested positive to 51,088.

The highest daily number of cases reported was 693 on October 1 2020.

There were 2,269 cases confirmed in the seven days to January 23, meaning Leeds has an infection rate of 286.1 per 100,000 people. This is a decrease of 0.2 per cent on the previous seven-day period.

How many Covid tests have been carried out in Leeds?

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According to the latest Government figures,11.7 per cent of the 21,826 people in Leeds who received a PCR test went on to receive a positive result in the week ending January 23.

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 3,798 lateral flow test results were provided on January 27 in Leeds, bringing the total to date to 53,958.

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.

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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.

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