The number of Covid hospitalisations at Chesterfield Royal and how many are seriously ill

New Government data shows that although the number of patients with the virus increased during December, the number on ventilators has fallen.

The number of new Covid admissions at the Royal has risen from 27 in the week ending December 1 to 38 in the week up to December 28 – an increase of 40.7 per cent.

However, the number being treated on a ventilator has fallen from seven to three – a decrease of 57.1 per cent – over the same period.

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Data also shows most Covid-positive patients in English hospitals are being treated primarily for coronavirus – although the Omicron wave has resulted in a growing minority who are admitted for other conditions but who test positive for Covid-19 as well.

On December 1, a quarter (25.7 per cent) of Covid patients in hospital in England were being treated primarily for other conditions.

By December 28, this had risen to a third (33 per cent).

At a news conference on Tuesday, Prime Minster Boris Johnson said he hoped the country could ‘ride out’ the Omicron wave but admitted hospitals in some areas could become overwhelmed.

The total number of patients in hospital with Covid has doubled in just under a fortnight in England to more than 14,000.

This is still considerably lower than the 34,000 peak last winter when more than a third of beds were occupied by Covid patients.