Covid cases falling as lockdown bites
Cases in South West down to lowest level since December 30
FEARS that the latest lockdown might be failing to reduce new cases of coronavirus were quashed yesterday, as figures revealed falling rates in virtually all areas of the country.
In the South West, the rate of infection now stands at 281.1 per 100,000, down from 351.1 a week ago and the lowest since December 30.
Overall, Covid-19 case rates in most regions of England are at their lowest level since before the start of 2021, latest figures show.
In Devon, hospitals are currently coping with the number of patients in need of care with the peak of demand expected to come in the next week.
Dr Paul Johnson, clinical chair of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, said that, if their modelling is correct, admissions should soon start to plateau before dropping.
The number of patients hospitalised in the Westcountry is continuing to rise, but the figures are being bolstered as the region finds room for patients from other areas of the country, where pressure is greater.
Figures out yesterday show 12 more people who tested positive for coronavirus have died at hospitals in Devon, nine at Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital and three at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. There have been no new Covid hospital deaths reported in Cornwall.
TWELVE more people who tested positive for coronavirus have died at hospitals in Devon, figures out yesterday from NHS England show.
Of the 12 new deaths in Devon, nine were recorded at Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital, with the remaining three at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E).
This now brings the total number of deaths reported at the RD&E to 220. There were no new Covid-19 deaths at hospitals in Cornwall. Across the full six counties of the South West, the latest daily figures show there have been 27 deaths.
The figures come as analysis of coronavirus cases suggest the latest lockdown, which came into effect on January 5, is beginning to have a positive impact on bringing down rates.
Covid-19 case rates in most regions of England are at their lowest level since before the start of 2021, the latest figures show – including the South West.
In London, the rolling seven-day rate as of January 20 stood at 557.8 cases per 100,000 people – down from 770.6 a week earlier, and the lowest since the seven days to December 16.
Eastern England is currently recording a seven-day rate of 437.9, down from 561.4 and the lowest since December 17.
South East and South West England are also at the lowest level since before New Year’s Day.
The rate in the South East is currently 409.9, down week-on-week from 535.7 and the lowest since
December 18, while in the South West the rate is 281.1, down from 351.1 and the lowest since December 30.
The figures, which have been calculated by the Press Association using Public Health England data, suggest that the England-wide lockdown introduced on January 5 is having an impact.
Meanwhile, the vaccination rollout has been continuing at pace in the South West.
The unexpected delivery of extra Pfizer vaccines to a GP surgery in Cornwall led to the vaccination of 1,000 people in 48 hours.
When St Austell Healthcare received an email on Thursday afternoon asking if any GP practices could use a box of nearly 1,000 Pfizer vaccines that had been unexpectedly delivered in Cornwall, the team sprang into action, agreed to take the vaccine and vowed that not a single dose would be wasted.
St Austell Healthcare is the largest GP practice in Cornwall, looking after 37,000 patients The delivery was received at 10pm that night. Teams worked around the clock to find extra patients to vaccinate before yesterday, as the Pfizer vaccine has to be used within three days of delivery.
Bridget Sampson, organising the vaccine operation for St Austell Healthcare, said: “Our brilliant team of receptionists worked into the night on Thursday, calling patients and adding more appointments to the Friday and Saturday clinics. We also put up a Facebook post advising patients over the age of 70 that additional appointments were available to book online. By the morning, all the appointments were taken.”
Dr Dan Murphy, GP partner at St Austell Healthcare, said: “We committed to keep going until all the vaccine was used.
“After two really busy vaccination clinics, the last doses of the vaccine were given at 9.25pm on Saturday during a surprise visit to a couple of elderly patients.”
In Devon, hospitals are under pressure but are coping with the influx of Covid patients and have been able to take patients in from elsewhere in the South West and the South East to help NHS colleagues.
Dr Paul Johnson, clinical chair of the Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “In general, we are seeing more people in hospital than the previous peaks and around 10% are needing intensive care, around the same as first peak, and we are using the Nightingale [hospital in Exeter] to utilise extra bed capacity.
“It does mean that, as things stand, we have the capacity to manage the number of cases we are getting. We are in a better place than our neighbours, and we are looking at how we can mutually support them, and we are looking to care for some of the patients from outside of Devon,” he added.
“We have taken some from elsewhere in the South West and some from the South East to support healthcare colleagues across the country.”
THIS was the emotional moment an elderly couple married for 70 years were finally reunited after three months apart due to the pandemic.
Roger Bulley, 93, was hospitalised back in November after he fell at home and broke his hip.
While he was being treated there, his wife, Sadie, 91, moved into the
Caprera care home in St Austell, Cornwall, as she suffers with dementia.
She was unable to visit Roger in nearby Falmouth due to coronavirus, but the pair have now finally been reunited after three months apart – the longest time they have ever been away from each other.
Their son Dave, 67, a retired police officer, said: “They were at home in St Austell when dad took a tumble and broke his hip. He was sent to hospital in Falmouth and in the meantime mum was put into a care home in St Austell and she couldn’t go out to see him. They were apart for three months.””
Roger spent three months in hospital, recovering from his operation and learning to walk again.
During that time, Dave could only see his dad by talking to him through a window, and he would tell him about Sadie and how she was doing.
Dave added: “When he was better, we got him moved into the same care home as mum, then he was in the dining room in a wheelchair and they brought mum down.
“She was overjoyed, they both were, they’ve been married for 70 years and that’s the longest they’ve been apart.
“It was heart-warming to see them back together again.”