High Covid rates in the community

DERBYSHIRE is currently seeing a very high rate of Covid-19 cases in its communities, with a similar level to that seen in previous pandemic peaks. This high rate of cases is currently fairly steady.

A key difference to previous peaks is the number of people this is seeing admitted into our hospitals due to the virus, with this level drastically lower despite high community infections. Alongside this, fewer people are ending up in hospital intensive care units and far fewer people are dying as a result of the virus.

The Omicron variant appears to be spreading faster than the previous and current dominant strain, Delta, and poses more of a risk even to those who have already been vaccinated.

Derbyshire, including Derby, is currently seeing in excess of 4,500 cases per week according to the latest data which is around the same level as the county and city saw in mid-to-late January.

This is more than double the number of cases the county and city were seeing in the same week last year - around 1,700.

So far in December, Derbyshire has seen nearly triple the number of cases it clocked in the same period last year. However, this time last year, the nation had been coming out of a November lockdown period and had more restrictions in place.

There are currently 97 Covid-19 inpatients in our hospitals, none of whom have yet been confirmed as having the Omicron variant, though tests are routinely analysed. This is up from 81 two weeks ago. Of these 97 patients, 50 are in Royal Derby Hospital, 24 are in Chesterfield Royal Hospital and 23 are in Queen’s Hospital in Burton.