Chesterfield Royal Hospital issues coronavirus update as measures introduced in UK to fight Omicron
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Shortly after noon on Tuesday, there were 35 patients with coronavirus at the Royal – six of whom were in intensive care.
Around the beginning of the month, staff were caring for 38 patients with a positive diagnosis of Covid-19 at the hospital – three of whom were receiving critical care.
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Hide AdThe Royal has now recorded a total of 492 deaths linked to the virus.
According to official data, 504 people had a confirmed positive test result for coronavirus in Chesterfield in the seven days to November 29. This was an increase of 9.3 per cent compared to the previous seven days. On November 29, zero deaths were reported in Chesterfield within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus.
In North East Derbyshire, 436 people received a confirmed positive test result in the same seven-day period, down 3.3 per cent compared to the previous week. There were zero deaths in North East Derbyshire within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus reported on November 29.
While in Bolsover, 328 people had a confirmed positive test result in the seven days to November 29, an increase of 9.3 per cent compared with the previous week. On November 29, zero deaths were reported in Bolsover within 28 days of a positive test for coronavirus
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Hide AdThe total number of deaths registered across Derbyshire county and Derby city where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate currently stands at 3,222.
In terms of positive tests nationally, 42,583 were reported in the UK on Monday – down week-on-week from 44,917.
What’s the latest on Omicron?
At the time of publication, 14 cases of the Omicron variant had been reported in the UK.
Early evidence suggests Omicron – first identified in South Africa last week – appears to have a higher re-infection risk.
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Hide AdHowever, experts say it will take around three weeks before it is known how the strain impacts on the effectiveness of current vaccines.
On Tuesday, face coverings became mandatory again on public transport and shops in England.
People arriving in the UK from abroad will now also have to take a PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said said these measures would ‘buy us time in the face of this new variant’ as scientists work to find out more about the strain.
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Hide AdOn Monday, the Government announced a major expansion of the booster jab roll-out in a bid to help stop a possible wave of infections.
Boosters are to be offered to all over-18s in the UK, with the wait after a second dose cut from six to three months.
Children aged 12 to 15 will also now be invited for a second jab and severely immunosuppressed people should be offered a fourth dose.
Speaking outside a vaccine centre in north London, Mr Johnson said boosters ‘can give you a lot of protection against all types of the virus and, we think that is overwhelmingly likely at any rate, so the crucial thing is for everybody now to come out and get your boosters’.