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More than half of all Covid-19 patient deaths in Kent this month have been recorded in a single hospital, the latest figures reveal.
So far in November, 51 people with coronavirus who were being treated at county hospitals have lost their lives.
Thirty-one of these deaths (60%) occurred at the Medway Maritime Hospital, according to NHS England statistics.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus hospital patients across the county continues to rise.
On October 10, there were 14 Covid patients in Kent hospitals. By November 10, this had increased to 221.
The numbers have increased since the beginning of this month.
There were 118 patients on November 3, but this increased 87% in one week.
The most marked increase has been at Medway Maritime Hospital, where the number of patients soared from 52 to 93 in just seven days.
This week, hospital heads sought to assure patients that systems are in place to isolate the coronavirus and ensure that routine treatments can continue.
At Medway, this includes temperature checks on arrival, mandatory face coverings for all visitors, staff, outpatients and inpatients, hand sanitizing stations and special “green areas” that allow patients to be pre-screened before entering. for your surgical procedure and restrictions on the use of waiting areas to allow for social distancing.
Visiting the wards has been prohibited throughout the hospital premises and only in exceptional circumstances is anyone allowed to enter the building who does not attend an appointment.
Medway NHS Foundation Trust Executive Director James Devine said: “Our top priority remains the safety of patients and staff, and ensuring that the NHS is not overwhelmed in the coming months.”
“We have made solid preparations to be able to handle the winter pressures along with any increases in the number of patients admitted with Covid-19, and we continue to work closely with all of our partners throughout the health and social care system to ensure that we have the ability to cope with peak levels of demand.
“It is extremely important that cases in the community decrease, as we know that hospital admissions tend to lag a few weeks behind the infection rate in the community.
“Our community can help us by following national guidelines, covering our faces in closed public spaces, social distancing, and washing our hands regularly.”
Devine assured residents that the hospital is doing everything it can to ensure regular services continue, saying that patients must attend the hospital for procedures or appointments “as usual.”
The Gillingham facility is the largest hospital in Kent, serving a population of over 424,000 in Medway and Swale.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Medway NHS Foundation Trust has recorded 235 deaths from Covid.
Meanwhile, the East Kent Hospitals Trust, which manages William Harvey in Ashford, QEQM in Margate and Kent & Canterbury, has recorded 483 deaths. Fourteen of those patients have died this month.
There have been 252 coronavirus deaths at the Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, with two recorded this month.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust have recorded 137 deaths from Covid, including four in November.
As Covid-19 patients and deaths are increasing in the county, so is the number of health care personnel not working due to the virus.
On November 4, figures show that 363 employees were forced to miss work for Covid-related reasons, mainly due to illness or self-isolation.
This number is 77% higher than that of October 4.
The impact of the second wave on the NHS in Kent is felt amid a large increase in Covid-19 cases across the county.
Figures show there were 3,120 positive tests in Kent in the week to November 9, an increase of 55.5% from the previous week.
In the same week, 601 people tested positive for Medway, an increase of 31.5%.
But while infection rates are much higher than during the first wave, largely due to increased testing, the number of people who become seriously ill with the virus remains comparatively low.
The number of patients at the hospital was 570 on April 20, compared with 221 on November 10.
The number of people with a ventilator peaked at 92 on April 16, but this month it was 10.
And while 21 people tragically lost their lives to the virus in the week through November 8, this figure is well below the highest weekly total of 187 in early April.
Absence of staff also remains comparatively low, with 2,192 employees out of work due to the virus at the peak of the first wave.
Speaking on Monday, Wilf Williams, who is in charge of the countywide NHS response to coronavirus, said: “At this point, we are in a relatively good position in Kent and Medway, but the number of hospital admissions for patients with Covid has increased. increased and we expect it to continue in the coming weeks.
“We certainly cannot be complacent and urge the public to play their part.
“We need infection rates in the community to decrease, as we know that hospital admissions are trending a few weeks behind infection rates in the community as a whole.
“In mid-April, we had to quickly convert other spaces like theaters and recovery areas, which meant stopping other treatments, but we’re doing everything we can to prevent that from happening again.
“Our goal is largely to keep treatment on track for both Covid and non-Covid patients.
“We now know Covid-19 better, so we can treat the virus more effectively with more appropriate drugs.
“Therefore, we do not expect that this time it will be necessary to connect ventilators to so many patients.”
Read more: All the latest Covid-19 news
Read more: All the latest news from Kent
