Latest Covid figures for Wakefield and the Five Towns as council warns families to stay local

Wakefield Council is reminding residents to "stay local" this weekend, as cases of Covid-19 continue to rise.
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Several inches of snow fell across Yorkshire and the Wakefield district this week, leading to police warnings that people should not travel to make the most of the weather.

Under national lockdown rules, people are allowed to leave their homes only for essential travel and exercise in their local area.

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Wakefield Council is reminding residents to "stay local" this weekend, as cases of Covid-19 continue to rise. Photo: LEON NEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesWakefield Council is reminding residents to "stay local" this weekend, as cases of Covid-19 continue to rise. Photo: LEON NEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Wakefield Council is reminding residents to "stay local" this weekend, as cases of Covid-19 continue to rise. Photo: LEON NEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

And Wakefield Council is now urging residents "not to go looking for snow" over the weekend.

​Councillor Jack Hemingway, Wakefield Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Green Spaces, said: "To keep safe and protect one another throughout the national lockdown, residents must follow the restrictions and stay local.

"Rather than driving to the large parks across the district, residents should get their exercise by using walking routes close to where they live.

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"By staying at home and only taking exercise locally, residents can play their part in protecting others and keeping safe."

It comes as cases of Covid-19 in the Wakefield district continue to rise.

A total of 18,352 people have tested positive for the virus to date, up from 16,626 at the end of December.

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According to the NHS, the seven-day rate of cases in the district is 258 per 100,000 people.

Though this is below the national average, it marks a significant rise from last month, when a rate of 120 per 100,000 was reported.

Since March 2020, at least 775 people have died at hospitals run by the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test, and a further 136 deaths have been reported at the district's care homes.