South West hospitals see worst week yet as coronavirus infection rate soars after Christmas
Latest government figures show the coronavirus infection rate has more than doubled in most parts of the South West after hospitals suffer their worst week yet.
The number of positive cases per 100,000 people has risen in every part of the region and there is currently a record 1500 patients (1557) with the virus in local hospitals.
The latest publication also reveals there were 42 deaths recorded on Thursday (7 January).
It is the first time since April that so many people have lost their lives to Covid-19.
The striking data has prompted warnings from health bosses as we end the first week of another lockdown, which hopes to stall the virus as vaccinations get rolled out.
In Cornwall the most up-to-date figures reveal the rate of infection in the county in the seven days to 2 January was 325. That's up 158 per cent on the week leading up to Christmas.
The county is in a "serious situation", according to its Director of Public Health, who said the virus is "very nearly out of control".
Figures revealing the true extent of the lockdown restriction relaxation on Christmas Day are yet to be released, however the latest statistics suggest household mixing may have contributed to the surge.
Similar concerns are being voiced by health bosses in Bristol, Swindon and Gloucestershire as rates of Covid-19 increased significantly in the week leading up to 2 December.
On Thursday 7 January NHS Gloucestershire CCG warned of "serious implications" for the county's hospital if the lockdown rules aren't followed.
They said patient numbers are 60 per cent higher than they were at the peak of the first wave.
There are more patients in Bristol hospitals with the virus than ever before, with 275 patients currently being treated in Southmead, Bristol Royal Infirmary and Weston General hospitals.
This week, paramedics shared images of the queues of ambulances outside both the city’s main hospitals.
One image showed 17 ambulances - each with a patient inside - outside Southmead Hospital on Tuesday this week, while another showed more than half a dozen ambulances queuing outside the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Latest coronavirus infection rates per 100,000 people for the seven days up to 2 January
Bath and North East Somerset - 334.2 (164)
Bristol - 408.7 (191)
Cornwall - 325.1 (126 in the week leading to 26 December)
Devon - 184.2 (139.6)
Dorset - 309.4 (140.6)
Gloucestershire - 351.5 (221.2)
North Somerset - 372 (213.9)
Somerset - 365.9 (232.8)
South Gloucestershire - 412.8 (185.2)
Swindon - 574.3 (277.7)
Wiltshire - 317.8 (166)
On Christmas Day, people living in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 were allowed to meet indoors - limited to three households.
NHS bosses are warning we are yet to see the true impact of household mixing, because of the time delay between contracting Covid-19 and needing treatment.
Those who caught the virus between Christmas and New Year would typically not need hospitalisation until around 10 days after catching it.
But health leaders insist "robust plans" have been put in place to manage the stress that hospitals are under.
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