19 new Harrogate coronavirus cases

Nineteen more coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district over the weekend.

Latest figures published by Public Health England show that the district has now had a total of 869 confirmed cases, compared with 850 on Friday.

It comes as Harrogate remains a particular area of concern in North Yorkshire after a “worrying” rise in cases over the last two weeks.

The district’s virus infection rate had increased threefold from the weeks 31 August to 7 September.

It jumped from 12.4 cases per 100,000 people to 39.2.

Richard Flinton, chair of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, said the county is at a “pivotal moment” in the pandemic and urged people to maintain social distancing, wear face masks, wash hands regularly and avoid gatherings of more than six.

He said: “We are not saying there should be lockdowns or that businesses should close, but we do need to be at a heightened level of awareness and take strong precautions as we go about our daily lives.

“If we all do that, we can hope to start to see a tailing off in the escalating figures we have at the moment.”

The mobile coronavirus testing service will be back in Harrogate tomorrow.

It will set up at the Dragon Road Car Park on Dragon Road and people are being warned to not just turn up but make an appointment first.

Anyone who is showing coronavirus symptoms is being asked to register for a test on the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.

Meanwhile, people who do not have access to the internet can ring the 119 service to book.

Key workers and members of their household should register for a test on the government website at www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers.

Tests can be booked from 8pm tonight.

The testing service will return to the car park on 18 September.