Daily virus patients enough to fill a ward

LEVELS ARE BEYOND FIRST WAVE

THE number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 is 40 percent “above and beyond” the levels seen during the first wave of the pandemic.

This is according to Nottinghamshire’s director of public health, who warns the number of new patients admitted each day is “enough to fill a whole ward”.

The data, provided by the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS – which oversees Nottingham University Hospitals, Sherwood Forest Hospitals, and Nottinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trusts – has been released as a stark warning as Tier Three restrictions came into force.

The figures show the number of beds occupied by Covid-19 patients increases day on day, with 361 patients hospitalised with the virus on Tuesday.

Just 24 hours later, however, this number had risen to 413, with Nottingham University Hospitals alone admitting 49 new patients on Wednesday.

This, the trust said, was the greatest number of patients admitted with the virus since the pandemic began in February.

Data also shows that 49 people died from the virus across the three hospital trusts in the seven days to October 28.

For contrast, for the whole of July and August there were just two deaths recorded from the virus.

This comes alongside a backdrop of rising admissions among the over-60 age bracket – particularly in Mansfield and Ashfield – which was cited strongly in the decision to move all districts into Tier Three restrictions.

Speaking ahead of the measures coming into effect after midnight last night, public health director Jonathan Gribbin warned that even the best NHS systems will “struggle to cope” with the increased pressure.

“Across the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS, two days ago bed occupancy stood at 361,” he said.

“On Wednesday, it stood at 413. And that I think straight away gives you an indication of how quickly it is increasing.

“As of yesterday that 413 figure represents about 40 percent over and above what we saw in wave one peak back in April time.

“The medical director at NUH tells us that the number of Covid-19 patients admitted each day is enough to fill a whole ward.

“In fact, at NUH yesterday there were 49 patients – more than a ward – who were admitted with Covid-19.

“Even a well-organised NHS and care system will struggle to cope with that kind of increased demand.”

He added: “What our NHS colleagues are telling us is that this will result in serious, significant disruption to other patient and care pathways – for example, the postponement of surgery.

“But in terms of what we do to manage coronavirus and its impact on the health service, it’s absolutely essential that we bring in these stringent measures now.

“It is in that way that we can best mitigate and minimise some of these serious impacts on our patients.”