The number of people being hospitalised with Covid-19 at North Bristol NHS Trust has reached the highest level since January 2021, amid concern over case levels rising aross the UK. The trust, which manages Southmead and Cossham hospitals, hit an average figure of 19.4 coronavirus patients being admitted to hospital per day over a seven day period on March 24, the latest day from which data is available.
The last time that the figure was this high was on January 30, 2021, when the trust recorded an average of 20.6 admissions per day. During the last winter, when the arrival of the highly contagious Omicron variant prompted the government to introduce plan B restrictions, the highest figure for daily Covid admissions at the trust was 18.6, on January 15, 2022.
Bristol's other NHS trust, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, recorded an average of 18.3 admissions per day on March 24. However, it saw much higher peaks over winter, spiking at 20.3 and 22 patients admitted each day on January 5 and February 2 respectively.
Read more: New official Covid-19 symptoms list: all the signs to look out for
Across both hospital trusts, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospital stood at 180 on March 29, the last day on which data was available. However, despite rising hospital admissions, only eight patients were in intensive care across both trusts on March 29. On January 30, 2021, as many as 359 patients were in hospital, while 50 were in intensive care.
Steve Curry, chief operating oficer at North Bristol NHS Trust said: “We continue to have high levels of Covid-19 infections in the community, and as a result we have seen an increase in people being admitted into our hospital. The most important thing the public can do to protect themselves and support local services is to get their first, second or booster Covid-19 vaccines doses.
“We continue to have strict infection, protection and control measures in place across our health settings to keep patients and staff safe, with all visitors required to wear faces masks and maintain social distancing. Staff across health and social care are going to incredible lengths in challenging circumstances – we are asking the public to continue to treat them with kindness and respect.”
It comes as the UK hit an all-time high for Covid cases, with almost five million people – one in 13 of the population – estimated to have the virus, according to data from the Office of National Statistics. Covid cases have more than doubled in one month in Bristol, and an NHS doctor recently gave a chilling warning that "there is no control" over the spread of the virus.
