Covid-19: Reading hospital 'not overwhelmed' as Covid patients surge

The Reading hospital said the impact of Covid-19 was "under control"

A hospital that has experienced a "high surge" of patients with coronavirus has said it is not "on the verge of being overwhelmed".

Royal Berkshire Hospital was "at full stretch" throughout last week, the Health Service Journal (HSJ) reported.

Previously its number of Covid-19 patients rose from 83 on 23 December to 179 on 30 December, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However the site's NHS trust said it was "managing the situation".

The Reading hospital was among 10 in the south east of England to declare "Critcon level three", the second-highest alert level for a surge in patient numbers, the HSJ said.

One hospital, Darwent Valley in Dartford, Kent, was reportedly at level four, denoting that resources had been overwhelmed.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said the number of beds occupied by confirmed Covid patients had passed 200.

Acting chief executive Nicky Lloyd said: "Whilst we are caring for a large number of Covid patients, the situation at the Royal Berkshire is under control.

"It would be wrong to say we are on the verge of being overwhelmed."

Ms Lloyd said the trust was using its other Berkshire sites and was redeploying staff to cope.

On New Year's Eve, the hospital said it was suspending non-urgent procedures, such as hip and knee replacements, because of the pressures.