Number of Covid patients at Herefordshire's hospitals rises

According to the latest NHS England data, the Wye Valley NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in Herefordshire, was caring for 32 coronavirus patients on Tuesday, March 22.

Data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on March 22 was up from 22 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Wye Valley NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 rose by 88 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 17.

RELATED NEWS:

• Coronavirus staff shortages partially close two Hereford schools
• Herefordshire's Covid death toll two years after first lockdown
• Grieving man at Covid vigil tells of his wife's final days

Across England, there were 13,060 people in hospital with Covid as of March 22, with 269 of them in mechanical ventilation beds – though none were at Wye Valley NHS Trust.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has risen by 46 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has fallen by 5 per cent.

The figures also show that 25 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital at the Wye Valley NHS Trust in the week to March 20. This was up from 16 in the previous seven days.

At a Wye Valley NHS Trust board meeting in February, chief executive Glen Burley said Covid was, at the time, an improving picture.

While the trust was treating 23 patients with Covid at the time, he said a "large proportion" were found to have Covid on admission for other reasons rather than being admitted due to the virus.

OTHER NEWS:

• 'Antagonistic' man arrested at Hereford pub while visiting son
• Revealed: how huge orchard losses are being combated in Herefordshire
• Repeat offender teenage learner driver caught on Herefordshire motorway

Fewer patients were on oxygen and in critical care than last year, he said.

Separate figures from the Government suggest a spike in Covid cases in the county could now be starting to slow.

In the seven days to March 20, 1,819 positive tests were reported, a 29.1 per cent rise from the 1,409 found the week before.

But in that week, the seven days to March 13, cases rose by 77.5 per cent.

The latest infection rate for Herefordshire, the number of cases of 100,000 people, stands at 939.5 for the seven days to March 20.

That is higher than the UK average of 877.8.