Hospital cases up and victims are younger
A KEY metric following the success of the vaccine roll-out is now the data from our local hospitals, and the number of Covid-19 patients in our local wards has continued to rise in line with infections, but with a lower average age for those hospitalised due to the virus.
According to the latest figures, there are currently 43 Covid-19 patients in the area’s hospitals, up from 37 last week, and there were none eight weeks ago.
Royal Derby Hospital staff have been treating 27 patients who have the virus, five of which were in intensive care.
Chesterfield Royal Hospital has been looking after nine Covid inpatients, two of which were being treated in the intensive care unit.
Queen’s Hospital in Burton had been caring for seven Covid-19 patients, none of which were in the ICU.
These figures represent a massive reduction compared with the January pandemic peak - when community Covid levels were back where they are now, when our hospitals had more than 700 Covid-19 patients.
Hospital leaders are urging caution and say it is still vital that anyone coming to a hospital or health facility continues to wear a face mask, social distance and regularly wash their hands.
Gavin Boyle, chief executive of the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, said: “Cases in the community are rising and this is the first time in months that we have been caring for so many patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, with a lower median age than the previous wave in the winter.
“A hospital is a place where we bring the most vulnerable and we must make it as safe as possible for them.”
He also said while the trust’s 34 Covid patients remains much lower than the pandemic peak, this still represents more than an entire ward of people.
Health leaders have stressed that to have this many people in the same hospital with the same illness, all at the same time, is highly irregular.
Mr Boyle said: “Of these patients, about half a dozen or so are critically ill in intensive care. We also have around
400 colleagues who can’t be at work because either they have Covid or are doing the right thing by self-isolating, having been in close contact with someone with the disease. This is placing a strain on all parts of our services. While I understand the sense of relief and delight as the general restrictions on Monday were eased, I would still urge everyone to be cautious and to avoid unnecessary risk.
“I would also ask everyone to respect that our hospitals are the place for the most vulnerable. An outpatient or visitor won’t necessarily meet a clinically vulnerable person when they come here, but they’re likely to encounter someone who cares for them.
“We are continuing to ask everyone who comes to hospital to continue to follow Hands, Face, Space, to not come here as a visitor or outpatient if you have symptoms and to wear a mask or face covering.”