CRAVEN is expected to be put on to the Government's watch list as an 'area of concern' after the district once again recorded the highest number of new cases of coronavirus in the last seven days.

In the week ending September 29, the Craven area recorded 95 cases per 100,000 of the population, the latest figures, up to Monday (October 5) show that the figure had risen to 137.

The figure puts Craven way above the England seven day average rate of infection per 100,000 people of 93, and of North Yorkshire, which is 91.

Today, Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council and chairman of the North Yorkshire Resilience Forum, said: "I am sorry to say that, despite the terrific efforts of many of you, in North Yorkshire we are now in a more serious position than last week.

"Infections of Covid-19 continue to rise across the county – as they do in many areas – and specifically in the north of England.

"We are, by no means, in the perilous position of some of our close neighbours, but, unfortunately, without an urgent, sustained and collective effort from everyone – we are heading that way."

He added: "The England seven-day average rate of infection per 100,000 people is 93.2. North Yorkshire’s is now 91.1. However, in areas such as Craven and particularly around the Skipton and South Craven border, the situation is above that at 136.5.

"We suspect that the continued and worrying rise in cases in this area will result in the district going onto the Government’s watch list as an area of concern."

Scarborough and Selby, which were the first parts of the county to go onto the watch list, are no longer seeing the highest level of spread, said Mr Flinton.

Director of Public Health for North Yorkshire, Dr Lincoln Sargeant, added: “As the infection rate rises, the chances of being in contact with someone who is infected are greater and the risks higher.

"It is inevitable that as the infection rate rises we will see infections introduced into communities where there are more vulnerable people, like care homes.

"We will begin to see more hospitalisation of people with Covid and we will begin to report deaths. York hospital has had its first Covid death for many weeks.

“We must not fall into complacency. We need to contain the infection, otherwise this will translate into more severe illness and death and we will begin to see the same patterns we saw in April.

“So we must carry on with those hands, face, space measures - keeping a two-metre distance when we can, washing our hands, wearing a facemask, even outside when we are in crowded areas. When people are being tested, it is also vitally important that they self-isolate and that they cooperate with the test and trace programme over their contacts.

“This is how we will break the chain of transmission, by playing our part, by making sure that we don’t become a player in causing the spread.”

For more advice and information, issued by the county council, visit: northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-and-information