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More people are hospitalized with coronaviruses in north-west England than in London, as regional differences in the spread and peak of the pandemic become increasingly apparent.
The latest figures show 2,033 people in London hospitals compared to 2,191 in the North West, where the peak of hospitalization appears to have been on April 13, compared to April 8 in the capital.
The UK government has said that these five tests must be met before considering reducing the coronavirus blocking restrictions:
- The NHS has sufficient capacity to provide critical care and specialized treatment across the UK.
- A sustained and steady drop in daily coronavirus deaths
- Reliable data to show that the infection rate is declining to manageable levels across the board
- Operational challenges including testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) are available with the supply capable of meeting future demand
- Confident that any adjustment to current measures will not risk a second spike of infections that overwhelms the NHS
The northwest, including Manchester and Liverpool, has had a much less steep curve of the virus curve compared to London, which was the worst in the first weeks of the pandemic.
It comes amid concerns about deep inequalities in the death toll from the virus, and the Office for National Statistics revealed on Friday that those living in the poorest parts of England and Wales were dying twice as many people in the areas richer.
Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, encouraged suggestions on Sunday that the easing of the blockade could occur at the local level, when he said at the daily press conference that the government could gradually apply measures and then pause or reintroduce restrictions on help local areas cope. with the disease
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson described hospitalization figures in the Northwest as a tragedy, but said it was to be expected due to years of austerity and cuts in funding for local NHS services.
Anderson, whose wife works as a care assistant, said: “This is not a coincidence. I have been saying for the past 10 years that the high levels of poverty and deprivation in my city coupled with cuts to our NHS services will do so and have led to higher death rates.
“The fact that this crisis has inundated us now is making it clear that there are scandalous disparities within our country and the way people and services to which they have access live.
“In Liverpool there are high rates of obesity, there is an elderly population, many people have mobility problems, these people will be the most affected by this virus.”
Salford in Greater Manchester has one of the highest coronavirus death rates in the country, with 174 deaths as of Friday, which stands at 93 per 100,000 people. A particular access point in the district is the Higher Broughton and Broughton Park area, where 28 have died.
Broughton is one of Salford’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods, with the lowest life expectancy and highest unemployment rate in the city. Male life expectancy has decreased in recent years and is now just 71.6, attributed to high levels of tobacco and alcohol use, which cause lung cancer and heart disease.
Mayor Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “These figures underscore the need for a safety approach first as we move forward. It is increasingly clear that the damage caused by the virus has been greater in the most disadvantaged communities. The government should recognize that and fund councils across the northwest accordingly. “
Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, presented the figures at the press conference, but focused his analysis on the story he was telling for London.
He said, “This is a mild illness for the vast majority of people, but unfortunately for some, hospital admission is required. You can see that the peak of hospital admissions has passed, particularly in London, where we saw the sharpest rise and now We have begun to see the steepest decline.
“Since mid-April, we have started to see a decrease in the total number of people in the hospital and that is again evidence that the rate of transmission of the virus is decreasing.”
Over the past week, the number of people with Covid-19 in UK hospitals fell from 16,395 to 14,220, a 13% drop.
