The number of people being admitted to hospitals who test positive for covid in the south of England is now higher than it was in January.
Since writing this post cases have gone up further. Even the Costa Coffee Shop seated area at the Royal Surrey Hospital has closed!
The seven-day total for new cases of covid in hospitals in the South East and South-West regions was 2,741 on 8 March (the latest data available). The highest combined total achieved in January was 2,550.
The seven-day admissions total has increased 37 per cent in the South West and 30 per cent in the South East over the last week.
The figure includes people who are admitted when known to be covid-positive, who test positive on admission, or who test positive when already in hospital.
Yesterday the South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust accounted for nearly a third of all time lost due to handover delays at emergency departments, indicating already high pressure on its emergency and acute care system.
London has also seen a steep rise of 27 per cent, but its admissions total is only around a third of what it was during the January peak. The North West’s total rose by 25 per cent.
Nationally, the seven-day admissions total stood at 8,431 on 8 March, 22 per cent higher than a week earlier. It is equivalent to the total recorded a month ago. The national peak was 14,285 on 4 January.
The rising admissions are beginning to feed into hospitalisation levels. On 10 March, 9,241 covid positive patients were in English hospitals, 13 per cent more than a week before.
All regions are experiencing rises. Surprisingly, it is the North East and Yorkshire region that saw the largest rise in covid positive patients, despite seeing only a small uptick in admissions. This may suggest particular problems with discharge. Local data up to 8 March show a sharp increase at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust, with up to 22 per cent of general and acute beds occupied by covid patients (see trust heat chart below.
In the week to 8 March, 66 out of 122 non-specialist hospital trusts saw an increase in the share of G&A beds occupied by covid patients. The number of trusts at 10 per cent-plus occupancy was up seven to 34, and the number at 15 per cent plus up one to nine. These had previously been falling since January.
There is a huge variation in the proportion of covid positive patients who are being treated “primarily” for the disease. In the North West, it is 55 per cent, but in London only 27 per cent. The national proportion is 43 per cent. It was 56 per cent on 11 January when hospitalisation was at its peak.
Thank you for this alert, especially when the World Health Organisation’s COVID advice is too often ignored. More consideration should be given to the burden lack of COVID precaution places upon the NHS and the delay it brings to patients awaiting treatment.
“Make your environment safer
The risks of getting COVID-19 are higher in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close proximity. Where does this occur?
Outbreaks have been reported in places where people have gather, often in crowded indoor settings and where they talk loudly, shout, breathe heavily or sing such as restaurants, choir practices, fitness classes, nightclubs, offices and places of worship.
To make your environment as safe as possible:
Avoid the 3Cs: spaces that are closed, crowded or involve close contact.
Meet people outside. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor ones, particularly if indoor spaces are small and without outdoor air coming in.
If you can’t avoid crowded or indoor settings, take these precautions:
Open a window to increase the amount of natural ventilation when indoors.
Wear a mask.”
Thank you for this comment. We have noticed that many more friends and acquaintances are suffering from Covid, and are very poorly. We urge every pregnant woman to ignore the anti’s and ensure they take the vaccine both for their and their baby’s sake.