Hospital Covid cases are down to single figures

BUT 100S OF CANCERS MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED DUE TO VIRUS

THERE are now fewer than 10 Covid-19 patients at the hospitals in Derby and Burton.

But hundreds of cancer diagnoses may have been missed because of the pandemic, says the local NHS trust.

THERE are now fewer than 10 Covid-19 patients in Derby and Burton’s hospitals.

In mid-January, there had been an eye-watering 524 Covid-19 patients in Royal Derby Hospital and Queen’s Hospital in Burton – a peak for the pandemic.

However, as of May 10, nearly four months later and after countless hours of dedicated work from exhausted staff, this figure has plummeted to just nine.

Hospital trust board papers make it abundantly clear that to retain low inpatient levels means retaining low levels of community Covid-19 transmission and to keep following infection prevention guidance - hands, face, space.

This comes as Long Eaton in Erewash has become a national Covid-19 hotspot after an outbreak linked to Wilsthorpe School saw more than 100 pupils and staff test positive for the virus.

There are currently five Covid-19 patients at Royal Derby Hospital and four patients with the virus at Queen’s Hospital.

Meanwhile, there is just one Covid patient in intensive care, being treated at Queen’s, while Royal Derby’s ICU is no longer home to a single patient with the virus. This is down from a February peak of 12 intensive care patients with the virus at Queen’s and 21 at Royal Derby. Gavin Boyle, trust chief executive, wrote in board papers this week: “We are continuing to maintain our operational response to Covid-19, including plans to reopen Covid-19 capacity, including isolation rooms, and ensuring that staff who worked in ICU on a temporary basis maintain their competency levels should the number of patients increase.” Mr Boyle said in his weekly blog: “We’re now down to fewer than 10 inpatients across the trust with Covid-19. “That doesn’t mean to say that the measures in place to stop the spread of the virus in hospitals are going to be relaxed though, as they are still very much needed.”

This comes as Covid restrictions in England are set to be further eased from next Monday, with people allowed to meet indoors in groups of up to six or two households. Pubs, cafés and restaurants will also be allowed to cater for customers indoors.

That doesn’t mean to say that the measures in place to stop the spread of the virus in hospitals are going to be relaxed though. Gavin Boyle

The intensive care unit at Royal Derby Hospital no longer has a single patient carrying coronavirus. Left, a Derby Telegraph front page from November last year reporting the record number of Covid patients at the hospital