Hospital shuts to new patients as cases soar

Pandemic’s first closure of emergency services as cases in north Somerset double in a week

AN NHS hospital has shut its doors to all new patients, including emergency cases, for the first time due to a spike in coronavirus cases. Weston General Hospital, in north Somerset, described the move as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

It comes amid reports that the number of patients who have tested positive at the hospital has doubled since last week.

Yesterday Mark Canniford, the mayor of Weston-super-mare, said an increase in local cases may have been a consequence of the slight easing of restrictions a fortnight ago. Meanwhile, leaked NHS communications reportedly warned that 40 per cent of staff at the hospital have tested positive.

Calculations by Cambridge University earlier this month put the rate of infection – the R value – in the South West ahead of the average in England overall, although the death rate from the disease is low so far.

At 0.76, the region was second to the North East and Yorkshire, which were 0.8. Nationally, the R rate needs to stay below 1 to ensure the virus retreats.

Dr William Oldfield, medical director at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“As with any hospital, the number of patients with Covid-19 will frequently change as people are admitted and discharged.

“We currently have a high number of patients with Covid-19 in Weston General Hospital.

“Whilst the vast majority will have come into the hospital with Covid-19, as an extra precaution we have taken the proactive step to temporarily stop accepting new patients to maintain patient and staff safety.”

The closure includes the A&E department. In March, Northwick Park

Hospital in London declared a “critical incident” after running out of intensive care beds. The Daily Telegraph also revealed that in the week before lockdown a separate London trust, Lewisham and Greenwich, had been forced to send Covid patients to other trusts.

However, NHS leaders have stressed throughout the crisis that emergency services have remained as normal, and this is believed to be the first time that a hospital has closed its doors to all new patients due to coronavirus. A message sent out late on Sunday to NHS staff in the South West, seen by Somerset Live, reportedly said: “Weston-super-mare General Hospital are reporting 64 inpatients as Covid-19 positive. This is an increase from 30 at the beginning of the week. Also on testing asymptomatic staff are reporting 40 per cent of those tested as Covid-19 positive.”

At least one member of staff, Amarante Dias, has died. The South West has nevertheless suffered the fewest deaths (1,157) and cases (7,524) so far.

There have been three deaths at Weston NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Weston General Hospital.