It has been revealed that York has around double the amount of coronavirus cases than had previously been reported. Public Health England have only been publishing the number of cases in NHS hospitals and swab tests on health and care workers known as Pillar 1 data.
But tests performed at Poppleton Bar Park&Ride and other swab tests on the general population, known as Pillar 2 tests, are currently not included in the published data. Pillar 2 data now accounts for around 80% of all swabs taken in the Country.
City of York Council has now revealed that as of June 27 there were 424 positive coronavirus tests confirmed through the Pillar 2 testing programme, this new data reveals York has had almost twice as many positive coronavirus cases as previously reported.
Rachael Maskell MP said:
“I have been pushing the Government to provide greater transparency on the data they are publishing since the start of the coronavirus crises. It is paramount that the Government provides accurate data and react accordingly.
It appears as if the Government is yet again not providing any clarity in the data, and are making decisions based on a false set of numbers, and that has been to the detriment of the city and the country.”
A spokesperson for City of York Council said:
“On June 29 York had a total of 463 confirmed cases of Covid-19 through the Pillar 1 testing programme (NHS and Public Health England) and on June 27 had a total of 424 cases confirmed through the Pillar 2 testing programme (commercial providers) – giving a total of 887 cases.”
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