Covid: Hull hospitals see admissions double in days

Hull Royal Infirmary is currently treating 53 patients with coronavirus

The number of people being admitted with Covid-19 at a hospital trust has doubled in a matter of days.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said it was currently treating 53 patients with coronavirus, up from 21 last week.

Eight of those admitted are receiving critical care, it added.

Chief operating officer Teresa Cope said the increase in cases in such a short space of time was a "significant cause for concern".

"We've seen a very gradual increase in the number of Covid-positive admissions over the last four weeks, but in the last 72 hours we've seen quite a sharp increase.

"That's a concern because we knew we were about two weeks behind other areas during the first phase," she said.

At the height of the pandemic, the trust, which runs Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, said cases peaked at about 110 in a single day.

It has also seen 229 deaths linked to the virus, including two members of staff.

"We anticipate seeing similar numbers - or exceeding the numbers we saw during the first phase," Ms Cope said.

However, she said the trust was now in a better position to deal with the virus having "built up vast knowledge, skills and expertise" since treating the first two cases of Covid-19 in the country in January.

The trust said if cases continued to rise it would also consider additional measures to keep people safe.

"This could mean the reintroduction of restrictions on visiting and permitting only people who genuinely need to be here to enter any of our buildings," Ms Cope added.

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