Fresh concerns have been raised about increasing Covid rates in Suffolk after it was announced three further patients had died in hospital, and admissions rates are once again rising.
Case rates have more than doubled in a week in some areas with a rate of 377 cases per 100,000 reported in Babergh in the week to July 15 - up from 140.2 per 100,000 the week previously.
Hospital admissions are now rising and Suffolk has seen its first hospital deaths linked to Covid for several months.
West Suffolk Hospital has recorded two deaths Fresh concerns have been raised about increasing Covid rates in Suffolk after it was announced three further patients had died in hospital, and admissions rates are once again rising.in the past 10 days, after more than four months without a single death reported.
A further death of a patient with Covid was reporter at East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, on July 18 - the first since May.
Throughout the pandemic there have been delays between case numbers rising and this translating into the number of people in hospitals and people dying.
The case rate has been rising over the past six weeks, and the numbers of people being hospitalised with the coronavirus in Suffolk has also increased since the start of July - this coupled with the fact there are staff shortages due to the 'pingdemic' means hospitals are now starting to feel the pressure.
At its lowest on July 4 ESNEFT and West Suffolk Hospital combined had just four coronavirus patients; by July 13 this had risen to 15.
These numbers are nowhere near the peak seen earlier on in the pandemic when at ESNEFT hospitals alone there were over 500 patients.
Neill Moloney, deputy chief executive of ESNEFT said: “We are currently seeing a rise in the number of Covid-19 admissions in our hospitals and the link between Covid-19 infections and hospitalisation/mortality has not been completely broken by the vaccination programme, so we’re urging everyone to keep safe and help to keep down the number of hospital admissions.
“Anyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated yet should get their jab as soon as they can.”
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Stephen Dunn said: "Across the region we are seeing increases in Covid-19 cases, but thankfully the numbers requiring hospital treatment remain relatively low."
A spokesperson for Suffolk Public Health said: “We know that wearing a mask and keeping your distance keeps people safe and, as Covid cases are rising in Suffolk, we ask that you continue to do these things."
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