Covid-19 death-rate may be slowing but we're far from out of the woods yet, warns Northampton hospital boss

Doctors fear Northampton is far from out of the woods yet over Covid-19 despite a falling death-rate and the Government easing lockdown laws.

Schools and are due to reopen next week with non-essential shops also unlocking their doors for the first time in 12 weeks on June 15.

Yet staff at Northampton General Hospital are warning the county's death-rate may be slowing, but it is not slowing as fast as in major cities such as London and Birmingham.

One further coronavirus victim had been confirmed at the Cliftonville site by 5pm yesterday taking the total number of fatalities there to 227. The average age of the victims is 80 and many of them have underlying health conditions.

Those who do recover are staying in hospital for 11 days, on average.

Kettering General Hospital has seen 227 more deaths while the office for National Statistics has identified a further 116 coronavirus-linked deaths among residents in county care homes, making a total of 502 victims so far across Northamptonshire.

Deborah Needham, Northampton General Hospital's chief operating officer and deputy chief executive, admitted: "Covid-19 has had a large impact on our community in Northampton.

"We are seeing patients with COVID-19 staying with us in hospital for an average of 11 days before they are well enough to return home.

"Thankfully we have seen many patients recover from the illness, but we have all seen first-hand how serious COVID-19 is.

"Therefore it is incredibly important that those who have been asked to shield or those who are more vulnerable continue to follow the guidance.

"We have remained grateful for the cooperation of our community throughout this pandemic, however we need support in staying vigilant and continuing to follow the national guidance closely.

"For those starting to go back to work and for those meeting one family member or friend from a social distance, it’s vital we remember to adhere to social distancing guidelines and good hand hygiene.

"We know that by doing these two things we can reduce the spread of the virus and protect our community.

"By following the guidance and not becoming complacent, we will all make a huge difference in keeping our community safe and controlling the spread of the virus."

Deaths in Northampton General Hospital peaked on Easter Sunday, April 12, when ten people died. That compares with 15 deaths recorded in the last week when latest NHS data was collated at 5pm on Tuesday (May 27).

The number of positive Covid-19 tests in Northamptonshire stood at 1,435 — a rise of 13 in the previous 24 hours — when the latest figures were collated at 9am on Tuesday (May 26).