YORK'S Covid rate has risen above the national average for both England and the UK.

Public Health England said the rolling seven-day rate for the City of York Council area in the week to April 26 was 25.6 cases per 100,000 population.

That is slightly higher than the average for England of 23.8 cases per 100,000 and for the UK of 23.6.

Just weeks ago, York's rate was below 10, at a time when no new cases at all were being reported on some days. At that time, the national average was considerably higher than now, but the city's rate has since drifted higher as case numbers nationally have gradually subsided.

Only four new cases have been reported in York in the past 24 hours, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 12,278.

The situation in the Selby district - the UK's Covid hotspot - has worsened, with the latest figure having risen to 114.8 after 104 cases over the seven day period.

The rate in the North Yorkshire County Council area stands at 33.8, while in the East Riding of Yorkshire Council area it is 31.4.