Posted: Thu 7th Jan 2021

Countess of Chester has ‘highest number’ of Covid-19 patients ‘in the north west’ according to its Chief Executive

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 7th, 2021

The Countess of Chester hospital currently has the ‘highest number’ of Covid-19 patients ‘in the north west’. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

That’s according to Dr Susan Gilby, Chief Executive of The Countess of Chester hospital, who told Cheshire West councillors yesterday evening that her staff were presently treating 231 coronavirus patients. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Of those, 21 are in need of a mechanical ventilator. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Dr Gilby told CWAC’s Covid-19 outbreak board: “The Countess is in a really challenging position.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We have had a lot of Covid in-patients since November, and we went into Christmas with 30 per cent of general and acute beds filled with patients who needed treatment for Covid.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Dr Susan Gilby

“By this January, it was 40 per cent. Today, it is 50 per cent. They continued to come in today.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We have opened our fifth Covid ward, and when I say 50 per cent, that means 231 positive coronavirus patients — the highest number in the north west of any hospital.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Dr Gilby added that the situation had been exacerbated by a large number of hospital staff currently being off with Covid-19, or isolating due to coming in to contact with someone who has a positive test result. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She said: “We have 185 staff off. 60 per cent are off with illness. That is a challenge. We did have one [difficult] day about a week ago for emergency department performance.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“That was because two of the doctors were ill with Covid-19 that day. It is a difficult position to be in and we expect the numbers to increase over the next two weeks.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The NHS boss finished her update to members with a stark warning that coronavirus admissions were now increasing in younger generations. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

She added: “The thing we have noticed particularly today is that we have had a number of admissions of younger patients. We are seeing increasing numbers of people in their 40s or 50s admitted with chest problems.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Today, we lost a 30 year old — it is affecting younger people in a pretty shocking way.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Yesterday, CWAC say 247 new confirmed cases, taking it’s rolling 7-day infection rate to 509 per 100,000 people. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Dr Steve Stanaway, medical director at Wrexham Maelor Hospital spoke to ITV Wales yesterday, he said there are 108 Covid related cases in the hospital up from 58 on Christmas Eve. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Countess story By Ethan Davies – Local Democracy Reporter. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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