Stark rise in coronavirus patients in hospital in the South West as nearly 1,500 people being treated
The number of Covid-19 patients being treated at hospitals in the South West has gone up by more than a quarter since Christmas.
The latest data by NHS England suggests nearly 1,500 people were suffering from the virus in hospitals in the region on 5 January.
That is up 27 per cent on the 1,106 patients being treated in hospitals on Christmas Day.
The situation is particularly bad at Great Western Hospital, which has recorded a 50 per cent rise in Covid-19 patients in the past week.
An operating theatre has had to be converted into an intensive care unit, meaning some non-urgent operations are now being cancelled.
Kevin McNamara, chief executive of Great Western Hospital, has warned more measures may be required in the coming weeks to deal with the sudden influx.
“Inevitably, because of the sharp increase in the number of cases and the number of patients we’re seeing with Covid, we’re having to cancel some operations,” he said.
Covid patient increases - by NHS trust
The number of people occupying hospital beds with Covid-19 has increased at almost all of the region’s hospitals.
Data published by NHS England shows the latest figures up to 5 January.
Here are the figures:
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust: 44% increase
North Bristol NHS Trust: 3.5% decrease
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust: 8.5% increase
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 19% increase
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: 84% increase
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust: 105% increase
Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 27% decease
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust: 16% increase
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust: 200% increase
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust: 136% increase
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust: 58% decrease
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust: 123% increase
Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust: 35% decrease
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust: 12% increase
Devon Partnership NHS Trust: 100% increase
Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust: 33% increase
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust: 33% increase
Dorset County Hospital NHS Trust: 288% increase
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