COVID rates in Leeds have increased sharply - up to 157.3 per 100,000 compared to 82.2 per 100,000 last Friday.

Positivity rates have also gone up to 5.8 per cent, compared to 3.4 per cent last week.

In a tweet today the CEO of Leeds City Council Tom Riordan said: "Leeds Covid rates up to 157.3 per 100k from 148.6 positivity 5.8% over-60s rate 17.4 hospitalisations/ICU low & av 2 deaths per wk. With cases rising fast in unvaccinated ages lots of work to ensure testing & vaccination is maximised & outbreaks contained. Plse take the vaccine."

Last week the city council issued a statement to reassure the public about steps being taken to address a sharp rise in Covid cases among young people.

The data at that stage showed that cases of the virus had been consistently increasing over the previous week and, while hospitalisations and deaths remained low, cases among unvaccinated age groups had risen.

Over the seven days before the statement the city’s overall case rate had also risen by 81 per cent.

The council said the rise in cases was consistent with other cities, where recent changes to restrictions had meant more social contact and where the Delta Covid variant, which is considerably more transmissible, had become dominant. As a result, cases were expected to continue to rise over the weeks ahead.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles, said: “We’re immensely proud of the superb work that has taken place across the city to get vaccines out into our communities and to encourage as many people as possible to get their jab.

“The vaccine represents our best chance of getting through this pandemic together and we’d continue to encourage everyone to book and attend their vaccine appointment when called and to continue doing all they can to keep themselves, each other and the city safe.”