More coronavirus patients are now being treated at Leicester’s hospitals than at the peak of the pandemic’s first wave.
As of today, medics in the city’s three main hospitals are treating 260 people who have tested positive for Covid-19.
At the peak in April they treated 204.
The exact number of patients in intensive care has not been revealed, but health bosses have confirmed ‘many’ of them are receiving the highest level of support.
There were 79 patients on intensive care wards on the busiest day of the pandemic back in the spring.
Andy Williams, chief executive of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland CCGs earlier tweeted to say some operations have been cancelled as a result of the pressures.
He later said: “Across local NHS services we are now seeing the full impact of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Cases are continuing to rise in our community and there are more people with Coronavirus needing hospital treatment than at the peak earlier this year.
“Our hospitals continue to treat people needing urgent care including those with cancer while some non-urgent procedures will continue where possible.
“We apologise to those who have had their surgery temporarily postposed, their appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible, and in the meantime it is vital that everyone follows the lockdown rules and national advice on hand hygiene, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing to help prevent the spread of the virus.”
Earlier, Mr Williams posted on social media to say he expects the second wave will be ‘much worse than the first’ due to the fact that people have ‘lockdown fatigue’ and staff are tired.
LeicestershireLive understands that cancer treatment, urgent procedures and children’s services are continuing despite the pressures as well as some elective operations.
Patients will be contacted if their operation or treatment is cancelled and should continue to attend appointments unless told not to by the hospital.
Just last month medics at Leicester’s hospitals revealed they had been close to discharging the ‘last couple’ of coronavirus patients before cases started to rise again.
Leicester’s hospitals today confirmed a further 17 deaths, bringing the total number of those who have died after a positive Covid test since the start of the pandemic to 525.
