TWO care homes in the city reported new Covid-19 outbreaks earlier this week.

The number of cases with symptoms in York continues to hover at about 200 per 100,000 population, according to the latest data released by the city council.

At the start of the month, it had been more than double that.

According to the City of York Council, the infection rate was static in all but two wards - Clifton and Osbaldwick and Derwent - where rates in the seven days to February 19 fell.

The city as a whole is rated as "green" for the virus. It moved down from the higher "amber" rate a week ago.

One care home reported a new outbreak of at least two cases on Wednesday and a second a new outbreak, also of at least two cases, on Thursday.

There are no details as to which homes they are or whether the patients are staff or residents.

Altogether, as of Thursday, there were five care homes where at least one resident or staff member had the virus in the city.

By Wednesday, 58,450 city residents have received their first vaccine dose and 1,095 had received both.

York is currently ranked 29th out of 149 county or unitary local authorities in England with a rank of 1 indicating the lowest 7 day rate.

By Thursday there had been 11,805 diagnosed cases of Covid-19 in the city since the pandemic began.

That is a rate of 5,604.90 per 100,000 population, below the national average of 6,466.