Coronavirus: Trust's patient numbers 'surpass April peak'

The trust that runs Royal Derby Hospital said it is treating 258 Covid-19 positive patients

There are more patients with Covid-19 at a trust's hospitals now than at any point during the first wave of the virus, health bosses have said.

On Monday the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust said it was treating 258 Covid-19 positive inpatients.

The most it had during the first peak in April was 252 patients.

The numbers needing intensive care are lower now but the trust has said the virus poses a "huge challenge".

It added the number of positive inpatients has more than doubled in a fortnight.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, it is nearly seven times higher than a month ago, when it was 37.

The patients are spread out between the Royal Derby Hospital, in Derby, and Queen's Hospital, in Burton-upon-Trent.

Two cancer operations have had to be rescheduled and the trust is looking to arrange fewer elective surgeries to help ease pressure.

In the last week, 29 patients with Covid-19 have died at the hospitals.

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Trust chief executive Gavin Boyle said: "The rising levels of Covid-19 in our communities has meant that we have seen an increase in the number of Covid-19 infected patients we're caring for.

"We learnt a lot during the first wave, so we are better prepared and we are using this insight to improve our treatment of Covid-19 patients and protect others from the virus.

"We are hopeful that full lockdown will limit the spread of the virus in our communities and slow down the rate of our hospital admissions over the next month."

The latest figures from Public Health England show the seven-day infection rate per 100,000 people in Derby is continuing to rise and now stands at 428.7.

The city and much of the county moved into tier two on 31 October, the same day the government announced a national four-week lockdown.