Medic’s plea as SW hospital tries to fight worst surge of virus cases
WHILE Cornwall and Plymouth have not seen any new Covidrelated deaths reported in the past two days, the rest of Devon is preparing for a Covid peak as five new deaths in its hospitals were reported. The news comes as it was confirmed that Cornwall had 2,000 new coronavirus cases in seven days and Plymouth did not have a cluster of cases. Figures released yesterday confirmed four died at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital – three patients on Wednesday and one on Tuesday – while another died yesterday at Torbay Hospital. Currently the total number of people who have lost their lives from coronavirus at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital is 190. The hospital is also currently in the midst of its biggest surge of coronavirus patients since the pandemic began, with numbers expected to keep rising over the next few weeks. The total number of beds occupied with Covid-19 patients was 94 as of January 7. So far this year the highest number has been 98. The highest number recorded in December was 116 and the lowest was 82.
The hospital has also been challenged by having large numbers of its workforce off sick. The total number of Covid related absences was 300 on January 6. The highest number in December was 414.
RD&E interim chief nurse Dave Thomas said the hospital was being impacted more now than ever before by coronavirus, and that the only hope of seeing a decline was if people stuck to the national guidance and the continued roll-out of vaccinations.
He added: “There’s no doubt the second surge has been bigger than the first so we have been affected by it more this time. We have certainly had more patients than we did in the first surge, and numbers have definitely increased.
“I don’t know if we have reached our second peak. There is the potential still for it to increase, but I can say this stage has definitely been worse than the first and we are up around the level we modelled for.”
Meanwhile, Cornwall recorded more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases in just seven days. The region’s hospitals noted that as of January 13, a further 2,068 cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the county in the seven days to January 8, with the highest infection rate being in Bodmin East with 805.5 cases per 100,000 people.
In Plymouth 114 new cases were reported in the 24 hours up to January 13. Stoke and Pennycross had 10 cases while Lipson had rocketed to 42. Health experts had warned that the number of infections was very likely to rise, with those dying now likely to have been infected three or so weeks ago – around Christmas time when rules were briefly relaxed.
Meanwhile, Prof Tim Spector, an epidemiologist at King’s College London, recently posted a photo of what has been dubbed “Covid tongue” on Twitter, warning people to be aware of signs of Covid.
Prof Spector, who heads the Covid Symptom Study App study, said one in five people still have less common indicators. He used Twitter to urge the public to stay at home if they are feeling at all unwell – even if it’s just a case of fatigue.
Aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or smell, a rash on skin and discolouration of fingers or toes are all listed as less common symptoms of coronavi
rus by the World Health Organisation.
Yesterday also saw the release of the first results of a new study, currently running at University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) revealed that past Covid-19 infection does provide some immunity to the virus for at least five months - but people may still carry and transmit the virus. The study, funded by Public Health England (PHE) and supported by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), has involved regularly testing tens of thousands of health care workers across the UK since June for new COVID-19 infections, as well as the presence of antibodies, which suggest if people have already been infected.
Dr Gary Minto, director of research, development and Innovation at UHP, said: “What’s absolutely clear from these findings is that even those people who have previously had Covid-19 cannot be sure that they won’t transmit it to others, and may even get it again themselves.
“It is therefore crucial that everyone continues to follow the rules, remembers to wash their hands, wears a face covering and make space from others to help reduce the likelihood of passing on the virus. Vaccination also remains as important as it ever was, as our exit plan from this pandemic.”
Devon and Cornwall Police’s Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer yesterday
urged the public to “do the right thing” and not just stick to the letter of the law, but also the spirit.
He said: “Throughout the pandemic our communities have been largely compliant and that has continued throughout the first week of the new national restrictions.
“We want all of our communities to act within the spirit of the national guidance, and to not only follow the rules set out in law.” He added: “Local means to stay within your village, town or part of your city. While it may not be stipulated in law, be responsible and play your part in keeping your community safe.”