More than 870 Covid patients being cared for in region's hospitals
Hospital trusts in the Black Country and Staffordshire were caring for more than 870 Covid-19 patients in hospital, according to the latest NHS England figures.
But the number of beds occupied by people who tested positive for the virus had decreased at a number of the region's trusts in the last four weeks.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, was treating 333 coronavirus patients.
The data shows that the number of people being treated by the trust by 8am on December 15, was up from 304 on the same day the previous week.
While the number of beds at University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 10 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 304.
While the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust was caring for 178 Covid-19 patients in hospital – down from 186 on the same day the previous week. The number of beds occupied at the trust by people had tested positive for the virus had decreased by 22 per cent in the last four weeks.
At the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Russells Hall Hospital, there were 141 coronavirus patients – up from 129 the previous week. While the number of beds occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 at the trust remained unchanged in the last four weeks.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust was caring for 129 Covid-19 patients – up from 119 the previous week. The number of beds at the trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by six per cent in the last four weeks.
And at the Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, there were 93 coronavirus patients being cared for as of December 15 – down from 104 on the same day the previous week. The number of beds at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 36 per cent in the last four weeks.
Across England there were 15,031 people in hospital with Covid as of December 15, with 1,159 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.
The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised has increased by four per cent, while those on mechanical ventilators has decreased by six per cent, in the last four weeks across England.
