Hospitals in some areas busier with Covid than April peak
SOME HOSPITALS are now treating more coronavirus patients than they were during the first wave in spring, it has been reported.
NHS data leaked to The Independent and Health Service Journal showed there were almost 6,100 patients with the virus in hospitals across England on Thursday, with 4,670 receiving oxygen and 653 in critical care.
A total of 563 patients were on ventilators to help them breathe.
The joint investigation also found that parts of the North West region now have more coronavirus patients in hospital beds than they did in spring.
It showed that more than a quarter of beds ( 408) at the Liverpool University Hospitals Trust were occupied by Covid- 19 patients, having never been above 400 in the spring.
Across Lancashire and South Cumbria, 15 per cent of hospital beds ( 544) were occupied by Covid- 19 patients, about 20 more than during the April peak, the investigation found.
There were 685 patients in Manchester hospitals on Thursday, 11 per cent of the total beds available, with another 100 patients suspected of having the virus, it found.
It also said there were 62 patients being ventilated, with 522 needing oxygen.
The region’s Nightingale hospital is to be the first to reopen, it was announced on Thursday.
Almost half of Liverpool’s mechanicalventilation beds – 29 out of 62 – are occupied by confirmed Covid patients and a third of those across the North West ( 178 of 556).
Meanwhile, in Birmingham there were 171 coronavirus patients, with 26 in critical care, 18 patients on a ventilator and more than 150 patients on oxygen.
An NHS England spokeswoman said: “Coronavirus cases and hospital admissions are rising and so it is vital everyone does what they can to control the virus, particularly by following Government guidelines.
“Social distancing is the first line of defence, followed by the test and trace programme, but if infection still spreads then the NHS has no choice but to activate local and regional escalation plans.”