The number of Covid patients in Sheffield hospitals as city's situation 'blackens'

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust was caring for 134 coronavirus patients in hospital as of October 26 (the latest for which data is on record).

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on that day was up from 105 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 35% in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 99.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Children's Trust was caring for two coronavirus patients, up from zero on the same day the week before.

There were two beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

Sheffield’s director for public health Greg Fell said that the covid situation in the city is ‘blackening a bit’.

He said: “Some say the rate of increase is settling. I think that’s a very, very, very optimistic interpretation, and I don’t subscribe to it. I think it will go up for a good bit longer yet actually.”

And he added that ‘waning immunity’ among those who had their second dose of the vaccine longest ago is playing a key role in the uptick in cases and hospitalisations.

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He explained: “Some people now had their vaccination 10 months ago and whilst the effectiveness of the vaccine has played out, in a way, hugely more positive than I dared hoped for, waning immunity is actually playing out more negatively than I hoped for as well.

“So we are seeing waning immunity in the over 60s – that translates into infections and it will also translate into some severe illness sadly.”

He added: “We’re expecting continued pressure on the NHS and social care for some time to come.

“It’s definitely not over. Ask anyone who works in NHS and social care settings. They will tell you it’s not all over.

"Case rates are really high, serious illnesses are way higher than we would want, and that is going to create a very difficult autumn and winter for lots and lots of people.”