Coronavirus hospital admissions on the rise according to Kirklees health chief

The local data shows that the rate of COVID-19 infection in Kirklees has increased by 20.2% over the past week. In the last seven days where data is available, 89.3 per 100,000 people in Kirklees tested positive for COVID-19, compared to last week when it was 74.3 per 100,000. The increase mirrors trends across Yorkshire and England over recent weeks.

Rachel Spencer-Henshall, Strategic Director for Public Health at Kirklees Council said: “Kirklees is experiencing the same trend as local authorities across the country. Rates of infection are rising and we are beginning to see an increase in the ages of people who are getting the virus as well as an upturn in hospitalisations.

“We are at a crucial point of the crisis and it’s up to all of us to reduce our risk of spreading the infection, especially as we head into winter. Everyone has a part to play in protecting themselves, their family and their community. If everyone follows the public health advice and local restrictions, we can bring rates down again

.“Restrictions can become confusing but the basic messages still apply to all of us. The best way to beat the virus is to wash your hands regularly, make sure you socially distance and avoid crowds, wear a face covering and get a test and isolate if you have symptoms."

New restrictions announced by the government are now in place across the whole borough in an effort to reduce rates.

The government announced that the restrictions for Kirklees would not change for the coming week.

This means that, in addition to the national restrictions, in Kirklees you cannot:

Meet or host people you do not live with in private homes or gardens unless they are in your support bubble.

In addition to these restrictions, the Government advises that you should not:

Socialise with people you do not live with, unless they’re in your support bubble, in any public venue. This applies to inside and outside of the affected areas. Examples of public venues include pubs, restaurants, cafes, shops, places of worship, community centres, leisure and entertainment venues, or visitor attractions and parks.

Visit friends or family in care homes, other than in exceptional circumstances. Care homes should restrict visits to these circumstances.