Four in five areas of England have seen a rise in Covid patients in hospitals over the last week, heaping strain on the NHS as it approaches the busiest time of year.

In the latest indication the Covid outbreak is worsening rapidly, an analysis by the Health Service Journal found beds are filling up fast with patients again, just two weeks after lockdown ended. 

The majority of hospitals had more Covid cases being admitted and more beds taken up by those with the virus in the week to December 15. For some hospitals, the number of Covid patients grew by more than 20%.

In recent days, more hospitals have shown signs of pressure, with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust postponing some non-urgent operations and London’s Barts Health NHS Trust deferring some routine procedures.

The latest Government figures show 18,000 people were in hospital with coronavirus on Tuesday while there were 1,340 patients who needed ventilation on Wednesday. 

The number of patients being admitted to hospital had been falling up to November 28 before rising again back to the levels last seen during the peak of the second wave. 

According to NHS figures, hospitals had to tell ambulance crews to divert patients elsewhere 44 times last week – the highest number for four years.

The data shows a worrying picture at the worst possible time due to the coming period of relaxation of social restrictions over Christmas next week.

A nursing chief has warned of an ‘unrelenting tsunami’ of cases after Christmas due to the bubble rules which allow three households to mix between December 23 and 27.

Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said ministers should give ‘fresh and more detailed’ advice to the public with a week to go until Christmas.

‘After a difficult year, it is everybody’s instinct to want to be together and see loved ones – especially those who live far apart or feel isolated. But what is at stake is coming into sharp focus,’ she said.

‘Travelling and family visits associated with this time of year will undoubtedly lead to more cases, more pressure on NHS and care services, and more deaths. By turning the second and third waves into an unrelenting tsunami, we would begin 2021 in the worst possible way.’

She said nurses would not enjoy Christmas ‘knowing what awaits them in January’ and called on the Government to be ‘clearer about the risks – not just the rules’, warning: ‘This virus isn’t taking Christmas off and nor should we.’

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