SECOND WAVE ‘TO BE WORSE THAN FIRST’
NHS CHIEF’S COVID WARNING AS OPERATIONS CANCELLED
LEICESTER’S hospitals are in the midst of the long-feared second wave of Covid-19 - and health bosses warn the winter version will be worse than the first, writes Amy Orton.
All but the most urgent operations have been cancelled as the NHS in the city deals with a spike in the numbers of people requiring Covid-19 treatment.
The Mercury understands patient numbers being treated in the city’s hospitals are at – or rapidly approaching – those seen during the first spike.
After a high-level meeting yesterday, health chief Andy Williams, right, took to Twitter and said it looks like the second wave will be “much worse than the first”.
THE Covid-19 second wave has hit Leicester’s hospitals, leading to all but the most urgent operations being cancelled.
Health boss Andy Williams took to Twitter yesterday morning following a Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Covid-19 system meeting and said it looks like the second wave will be “much worse than the first”.
The Mercury understands Covid-19 patient numbers being treated in the city’s hospitals are now at - or at least rapidly approaching - those seen during the first spike.
In his tweets, Mr Williams, chief executive of the city and county’s three clinical commissioning groups, said: “Just finished LLR Covid-19 meeting. Health and care system now at high escalation – all but the most urgent electives cancelled and focussing on urgent care and vaccination programmes.”
He added: “Second wave looks like it’s going to be much worse than the first – plus people have lockdown fatigue and staff are really tired. (It’s) absolutely vital everyone follows the public health advice.”
At the height of the first coronavirus outbreak, Leicester’s hospitals experienced its worst spike in patient numbers in April, when 79 coronavirus patients were in intensive care.
At the same time the trust was treating 200 Covid positive patients a day. Pressures have been building in wards across the country as rates and cases continue to rise.
Just a few weeks ago medics at Leicester’s hospitals revealed they had been close to discharging the “last couple” of coronavirus patients before cases started to rise again.
By October 9, more than 40 patients were being treated across the three sites, with some of them requiring intensive care.
Two weeks ago that number had increased to 150, with 18 of those infected being treated in intensive care.
Yesterday afternoon Mr Williams issued another statement, in which he said: “Our hospitals continue to treat people needing urgent care including those with cancer while some nonurgent procedures will continue where possible.
“We apologise to those who have had their surgery temporarily postponed. Their appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible, and in the meantime it is vital that everyone follows the lockdown rules and national advice on hand hygiene, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing to help prevent the spread of the virus.”