2,000 have caught Covid IN hospital

CORONAVIRUS is rampaging through Scotland’s hospitals – as soaring numbers of patients being treated for other illnesses catch Covid-19.

Almost 2,000 people have now been infected with the virus on geriatric, gastroenterology, orthopaedic and cancer wards.

In the week ending October 18, 122 people being treated for other conditions developed the disease, compared with nine in the week ending September 20.

An NHS whistleblower has said staff on Covid and regular wards are spreading the virus.

They also blame a lack of adequate PPE.

Last night, Scottish Tory health spokesman Donald Cameron said the situation was ‘highly alarming’, while Scottish Labour health spokesman Monica Lennon demanded an investigation.

She said: ‘Why are non-Covid patients in the same wards as Covid patients? This shouldn’t be happening.’

Public Health Scotland figures show there were 49,697 coronavirus cases from March 1 to October 18.

In weekly statistics reports, that number is broken down into categories to show how the infection was contracted.

They include ‘ community onset’, ‘ non-hospital onset’, ‘indeterminate onset’, ‘probable hospital onset’, and ‘definite hospital onset’. In the week ending October 18, 98 cases were ‘probably’ or ‘ definitely’ contracted in hospital.

Meanwhile, 38 cases were ‘indeterminate’, meaning the test came back positive three days after hospital admission.

Due to the incubation period, officials cannot say if a person caught Covid in hospital or at home. That means up to 122 people in ‘indeterminate’, ‘probable’ and ‘definite’ may have caught it within NHS Scotland.

The spread of Covid in Scottish hospitals is now higher than in early May at the peak of the first wave – and an NHS whistleblower blamed movement of staff between wards and inadequate PPE. In an email to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman seen by this newspaper, the worker said: ‘These practices are potentially increasing rates of Covid.’

Highlighting Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, Stirlingshire, the whistleblower said: ‘Management are ignoring complaints over the lack of PPE. In many cases staff are only wearing masks.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘These figures reflect the sharp rise in Covid19 patients in hospital over this time period.’

NHS Forth Valley said: ‘All staff have access to the PPE they require. We don’t have any shortages or supply issues.’