More than 400 patients are being treated for Covid in Northamptonshire's hospitals

Number of admissions nearly doubled, plus 100 deaths reported since Christmas Day
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Numbers of Covid-19 patients being admitted to Northamptonshire's two main hospitals has nearly DOUBLED in just 2 and a half weeks since Christmas.

Officials today (Tuesday) revealed 401 coronavirus-positive patients are now being treated in Northampton and Kettering — an increase of 59 since Thursday and 188 on December 25.

NHS England has also confirmed 103 deaths at Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital in its daily bulletins between Christmas Day and yesterday (Monday).

The latest sharp rise in the number of people admitted to hospital with Covid symptoms mirrors increases in the number of positive tests in the county between Christmas and New Year.

Around 36 per cent of 1,100 places in in Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital are now filled by patients with the virus.

During the first wave of the pandemic, the number of hospital patients peaked at 274 in Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire's Director of Public Health admits NHS staff are "fighting against an increasing tide."

Northants hospitals are under more pressure than ever before after a jump in the number of Covid admissionsNorthants hospitals are under more pressure than ever before after a jump in the number of Covid admissions
Northants hospitals are under more pressure than ever before after a jump in the number of Covid admissions

Lucy Wightman said: "Our hospitals are seeing the highest pressure they've seen.

"The number of Covid patients requiring treatment has an impact on the number of staff available to support everybody else who needs critical and emergency care.

"GP practices are struggling to reach all the 'business as usual' patients while our ambulance service is also stretched to capacity and having trouble off-loading patients at hospitals because they are so busy.

"We're finding we can't get numbers through A&E which means people attending for reasons other than Covid — a slip, trip or fall, a minor road accident, or chest pains for example — we've got pressure on those services."

How the number of Covid-positive patients has risen in Northamptonshire's hospitals since Christmas. Source: Public Health NorthamptonshireHow the number of Covid-positive patients has risen in Northamptonshire's hospitals since Christmas. Source: Public Health Northamptonshire
How the number of Covid-positive patients has risen in Northamptonshire's hospitals since Christmas. Source: Public Health Northamptonshire

East Midlands Ambulance service yesterday tweeted a plea: "We are currently very busy so please continue to only call 999 in a genuine, life-threatening emergency.

"If you need advice about the best place to get the healthcare help you need, please visit NHS111 onlineNorthamptonshire saw a record 5,430 positive tests in the week up to Sunday — an increase of more than 25 per cent on the previous seven days.

And there have been calls for lockdown restrictions to be tightened.

Mrs Wightman added: "The dip in numbers it was hoped we would see clearly has not happened.

"There has been lots of discussion about what is essential travel, staying local and essential work.

"Lots more people are going to work this time than there were during the first lockdown and I think that is something the Government will be looking at."