Zero Covid patients across Dorset hospitals for the first time in eight months

FOR the first time in more than eight months University Hospitals Dorset has recorded a day without any coronavirus patients.

According to government figures, 13th May was the first day the trust, which runs both Royal Bournemouth and Poole hospitals, did not have a single Covid-19 patient since early September, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Chief medical officer Alyson O’Donnell said pressures caused by the virus were “falling consistently” but said it was important people remained “vigilant”.

The most recent government data, from 15th May, records the seven-day average for Covid-19 patients across the trust was 0.4; at its peak on 18th January, the figure was 388.9.

And on May 13, for the first time since September 10, the trust recorded an entire day without any.

No hospital deaths from the coronavirus have been recorded in Dorset since 3rd May.

A report by trust chief executive Debbie Fleming, published ahead of its board meeting on Wednesday, said hospitals were still affected with dozens of staff still self-isolating.

“The number of patients being treated within our hospitals for Covid-19 has reduced dramatically, and whilst we should expect this to fluctuate over the coming months, at the time of writing, there were no patients with Covid-19 being treated in either of our acute sites,” her report says.

“There are currently 68 members of staff impacted by Covid-19, but more than 50 per cent of these are isolating rather than being symptomatic or shielding.”

She adds that the “dramatic” reduction in cases was a result of the “hugely successful” national vaccine roll-out.

Her report says the trust is now focused on reducing waiting lists which now total 48,000 people. This includes opening pop-up clinics at sites including the Dolphin Centre and Sovereign Centre.

And despite the declining number of coronavirus cases, the trust’s chief medical officer, Alyson O’Donnell, said people should remain watchful.

Even though we are starting to see Covid hospital pressures falling consistently the virus is still circulating so we all need to continue to be vigilant,” Dr O’Donnell said. “It is very important that we continue to support the public health messages to help everyone to stay safe.”