OVER 55 care homes in North Yorkshire now have single cases of coronavirus or outbreaks, it has emerged.

A growing number of positive tests are being recorded among the area's "frailest" residents, said Richard Flinton, Chief Executive of North Yorkshire County Council.

North Yorkshire includes the Skipton area and the Yorkshire Dales, bordering the Bradford district north of Keighley.

Mr Flinton said: "Unfortunately, the infection rates for Covid-19 across the county continue to rise. An inevitable and sad consequence of that is that we are seeing growing positive tests among the frailest residents in North Yorkshire, those living in the county’s care settings.

"Despite robust outbreak management plans, we now have more than 55 care homes out of a total of 233 with single cases or outbreaks, and three of those now have a very difficult situation with wider scale infection. This is a serious matter.

Alongside this we have transmissions continuing to rise across the county, and I am afraid to say much of this spread lies outside of our direct control, because it is taking place within people’s homes and social settings. We are also surrounded by counties and regions in higher levels of restrictions than we are. Together all of these issues mean we are literally remaining in tier one – the lowest level of intervention – by a thread.

"If we are to have any chance at all of staying in this tier, and to give us all the best chance of being able to be with our loved ones at Christmas, we need to step up and stand together as a county and we will explain this in more detail over the coming days.