Weekly data from NHS England shows a large rise in the number of covid patients being cared for by East Kent Hospitals (Margate, Ashford and Canterbury).
The latest data shows 349 beds in use for covid patients under the trust on December 15.
This is a rise of some 122 from the previous week when the Trust had recorded 227 covid patients as of December 8,.
The data also shows a rise of mechanical ventilation beds in use for patients with confirmed positive covid tests from 18 on December 8 to 26 on December 15.
The trust has recorded 669 covid related deaths across its hospitals since the pandemic began up to December 17 although data between December 13-17 – recording 40 losses- is provisional and could be updated.
A statement from the Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group says: “All hospitals across Kent and Medway continue to be under significant pressure due to the high rates of infection in the local communities.
“We have opened more critical care beds to support Covid-19 patients, and will be opening more. We’re continuing to provide cancer and other urgent operations. However, we are now pausing non-urgent elective services. This will allow staff to move to support the increased number of Covid-19 patients.
“Initially this will be for a two week period. We will keep this under weekly review and will contact individual patients where appointments need to be rescheduled.”
Data obtained by Shepway Vox also shows some 1,544 QEQM Hospital staff self-isolating due to the virus since March. For December that figure currently stands at 62,
Thanet data
Latest government data (published December 19 and displaying the rate for the week up to December 14), shows rises in the positive case rate per 100,000 people across Kent.
The figure for Thanet has started to rise again although the district is now among the lower rates in the county, standing at 536.9 per 100,000 according to government data. Kent County Council data, for week ending December 15, has Thanet at a much higher rate of 596.8.
The data shows 75 new positive cases reported for Thanet today (December 19) making a seven day total of 760, up 27.3% on the preceding seven days. A total of 5,800 positive tests have been recorded for Thanet.
The total number of people recorded who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Coronavirus as of 18 December was 215 (loss of life within 28 days of a positive test). Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate but may not be the primary cause of death.
Mutation
A new variant of coronavirus has been identified which may be associated with the faster spread in the South East of England.
Scientists have warned the new strain spreading rapidly throughout London and Kent is 50% more contagious than any previously detected.
A government Cabinet meeting is being held today where a travel ban is among options being considered for London and Kent.
Health Secretary confirms new variant of Covid and Tier 3 restrictions for areas including London
Vaccine
The NHS is carrying out its vaccination programme with the Pfizer/BioTech vaccine. Sites include three GP surgeries in Thanet and William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.
More practices will be included on a phased basis during December and in the coming months.
People aged 80 and over as well as care home workers have been first to receive the jab, along with NHS workers who are at higher risk.
The GP sites providing Covid-19 vaccinations in Thanet
Asymptomatic testing
Targeted asymptomatic testing launched in Kent on Friday (December 18), with the first sites in Swale and Thanet to be followed by a rolling programme across the county to try to reduce the rates of Covid-19.
KCC has been working closely with Thanet District Council to identify a site for Ramsgate Port.
The site is in addition to the DHSC run regional and local test sites for people who have symptoms, including those at Manston and Margate. The asymptomatic testing will find people who don’t currently have symptoms who may be unknowingly spreading the virus.
People will be invited to testing by a letter or email.
Residents attending this testing will undergo a lateral flow swab test and will receive their result within half an hour of attending the test. If they are positive, they will be told to self-isolate, follow the national guidance and they will be instructed to have a PCR test to confirm their positive result.
If they are negative, they must still continue to observe social distancing guidelines, wear a mask in public and regularly wash hands.
Staff have been recruited to the asymptomatic testing sites using funding from central Government to support local councils in tier 3 to help reduce rates.
Weekly covid rates (up to December 13) per 100,000 (government data)
The England rate is 226.2 per 100,000 as of December 13.
| Basildon | 774.6 | |
| Medway | 772.9 | |
| Swale | 752.3 | |
| Havering | 744.4 | |
| Thurrock | 687.7 | |
| Dover | 643.4 | |
| Ashford | 633.7 | |
| Epping Forest | 625 | |
| Redbridge | 616.9 | |
| Maidstone | 612.2 | |
| Broxbourne | 605.5 | |
| Hastings | 589.2 | |
| Brentwood | 586.9 | |
| Barking and Dagenham | 578.2 | |
| Canterbury | 575.6 | |
| Enfield | 518.9 | |
| Gravesham | 510.6 | |
| Waltham Forest | 506.5 | |
| Bexley | 497.4 | |
| Thanet | 493.2 | |
| Folkestone and Hythe | 492.9 | |
| Tonbridge and Malling | 483.5 |
Other Kent areas
Dartford 465.3
Tunbridge Wells 305.8
Sevenoaks 289.9
The figures are updated daily, although there is some time lag on some statistics. They can be found on the government dashboard here and here and on the KCC website here
Surely this should make any reasonable person realise that mixing with more than their own household is so selfish this year – apart from someone living on their own who should be able to join one other household as in the current bubbles. And if you think we have it bad, think back to Christmases from 1939 – 1944 – our suffering pales in comparison to everyone in those days.
Nail on head !! “Resealable” sadly lacking in thanet from what I have seen. So carry on you selfish bas**tds with your hugging, kissing, shaking hands, no masks. All seem to be on the increase from what I have sadly seen. So you selfish bas**tds you might not show any symptoms but might pass it on and kill someone. Merry Christmas
You wouldn’t think we are in a pandemic-Tesco Westwood staff congregating in & blocking off the aisles yapping about drivel, people shopping as families rather than solo with multiple trolleys & dragging their mouth sucking then touch everything kids around, customers standing there yapping total rubbish with each other, while also blocking off aisles like they are meeting in a public place away from other people etc.
Another great decision from our government-five days of mixing with three households & of course rather than admit the stupidity & rescinding it they instead put the onus on the public & that went really well back in the summer with the beaches & pubs etc didn’t it? As I predicted here to Cllr Barry Lewis recently when he was talking about mass testing to get out of tier 3, I said we will all be going back into lockdown in January thanks to this insanity that will kill thousands & totally overwhelm the NHS & Johnson all but confirmed it yesterday.
Lucky all that PPE is still sitting in freight containers & store cupboards unused.
I agree with all the above comments. Non essential shops being open is not helping at all. A nice quite Christmas at home should be the norm this year.
People just dont get it ! They walk into supermarkets and Don,t use the hand sanitizers , They walk in with a mask , but pull it down once in store ! They stand Right behind you in the queue leaving no space ! Or theyre on their mobile phone and walk into you as their mind is elsewhere ! I was in a large westwood store the other day and the member of staff had to scan the item i bought with a hand scanner so i stood back ! She thanked me and said i was the First customer to give her space !! I feel we should all just avoid meeting up this christmas and wait till its safer times or do it over skype or zoom , but please everyone Think of others and wear your mask as you may have a deadly virus !
Be pulling a Christmas Cracker with my cat this year 😂🤣
I wish everyone a merry and safe Christmas.
Does he/she use their teeth or paws?
Far too many people are being far too careless or indifferent.
You may not be bothered, but remember, when you get the virus, NHS staff will have to nurse you back to health.
Mire than 600 NHE staff have died of C19 this year. All because people didn’t keep to the rules.
We all die eventually, some choose to do their best to put the final day off as long as possible , others don’t. Its not for want of information as to what its best to do, if people choose not to do it, then so be it. Personally i’d say i’ve more chance of being killed by someone on their phone whilst driving than covid. You aren’t going to change the way others view the world, let them get on withvit and do what you feel is needed to look after yourself and your friends/family.
A symptomatic testing is a waste of resources snd time unless there is a systematic community find, track, trace and isolate campaign run by local public health. People must have financial and caring support to stay at home for two weeks. An anonymous call centre somewhere in the country does not make people tryst this private system which the government calls ‘NHS’ track and trace. Only a publicly run system not for profit and run by local people will help stop this virus