FOUR care homes in the York area are currently being affected by Covid cases amongst either residents or staff members, according to the latest figures published by City of York Council.

The authority's weekly data tracker report also says that 86 children of primary or secondary school age tested positive for the coronavirus in the seven days up to last Monday.

It says the University of York reported that 29 individuals within its community were self-isolating because they had had a positive Covid-19 test as of August 20, and York St John University reported that 10 individuals were self-isolating after a positive test.

Meanwhile, 48 Covid patients were being treated yesterday at York and Scarborough hospitals, with five of them in intensive care.

The number compares with zero patients in May and with 242 such patients at the height of the winter wave in January.

York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said a total of 2,429 Covid patients had now been discharged since the start of the pandemic in March last year.