Despite Covid seeming somewhat of a thing of the past, people in Bristol are still being admitted to hospital with the virus. Figures published weekly show there are still Covid patients in ventilation beds months after restrictions were dropped.
According to the latest government data, there are currently 51 people with Covid-19 being treated in hospitals across the city as of May 17. 63 people have been admitted to hospital in the seven days leading up to May 17, figures show.
Hospital figures are far lower than what they were this time last year, while general case numbers are too difficult to track now the legal requirement to test has been scrapped. The University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust has told BristolLive that while the Covid situation in Bristol is "improving," Covid-19 remains in the community.
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A spokesperson said: “We are pleased to see a decrease in the numbers of patients we are caring for with COVID-19 and whilst the situation is generally improving, COVID-19 remains in the community, so we would urge people to take the relevant precautions to keep themselves safe."
While the number of patients in hospital has dropped, the Trust says it is busy tackling a backlog caused by the pandemic. They continued: "Despite this our hospitals remain extremely busy as we continue to care for new emergency patients and tackle the backlogs in our elective programme caused by the pandemic.
"To help us help you we would remind people to only use A&E if it is a genuine life-threatening emergency and to ring NHS 111 first if you need urgent medical help and are not sure what to do. With the Jubilee bank holiday coming up it’s a good reminder to remember to organise your prescriptions and any healthcare needs in good time.”
Below is the latest Covid data from Bristol's hospitals, published on May 17. Government figures can be found here.
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
Patients admitted to hospital in the last seven days (up to May 17): 41
Patients in hospital: 35
Patients in ventilation beds: 1
North Bristol NHS Trust
Patients admitted to hospital in the last seven days (up to May 17): 22
Patients in hospital: 16
Patients in ventilation beds: 2
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