More patients with Covid at Royal Oldham Hospital trust

The Northern Care Alliance Trust, which runs the Royal Oldham Hospital as well as Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary, and Salford Royal, was caring for 62 patients with coronavirus in hospital as of Sunday, December 31, figures show.

Sign up to our newsletters to get the latest stories sent straight to your inbox.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital with Covid-19 by 8am on December 31 was up from 37 on the same day the previous week.

Across England there were 4,114 people in hospital with Covid as of December 31.

Nationally, the number of hospital patients with Covid-19 has increased by 71 per cent in the last four weeks.

The figures also show that 29 new patients with Covid were admitted to hospital in Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust in the week to December 29.

Follow The Oldham Times on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads.

Flu also high

Hospital admissions in England of people with flu or Covid-19 are running at their highest level so far this winter, with health chiefs warning earlier this week that the peak in infections is “still to come”.

Admissions of people testing positive for Covid-19 across the country stood at 5.2 per 100,000 for the week to December 31, up from 4.8 the previous week and the fifth weekly rise in a row.

Covid-19 admissions are highest among the over-85s, at 55.0 per 100,000 people, followed by 23.9 for 75 to 84-year-olds.

Numbers are lower than last year (Image: PA)

The nationwide admission rate for patients with flu stood at 6.8 per 100,000 people in the week to December 31, up from 5.1 the previous week and the sixth weekly rise in a row.

It means flu admissions are now classed as having a “medium impact” on hospitals, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

It comes as figures show a quarter of people aged 65 and over in Oldham have not been vaccinated against flu – similar to the national average, with 24 per cent nationwide unvaccinated.

The flu admission rate is on the rise (Image: PA)

Official guidance says vaccinations remain "critically important", reducing the burden on the health service as it deals with regular winter pressures and the continued fall-out of the coronavirus pandemic.

Flu levels are lower than at this stage a year ago, when the rate stood at 12.7 per 100,000 and the UK was in the middle of its worst flu season for a decade.

Dr Mary Ramsay, UKHSA director of public health programmes, said “more socialising indoors” over the festive period is likely to have allowed viruses to spread more easily, adding: “We could see further increases as we head further into winter and the weather drops colder.

“The winter peak for flu is still to come and may coincide with high levels of Covid-19.

“Those eligible for a flu and Covid-19 vaccine, such as those aged over 65, pregnant women, and clinical risk groups can still speak to their GP about getting vaccinated.

“Local pharmacies also continue to offer both bookable flu and walk-in Covid-19 vaccinations for free on the NHS. Children aged two or three years are also eligible for a quick and painless nasal spray flu vaccine from their GP.” 

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Oldham. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk or click to send me a message on WhatsApp or on Signal on 07517566383.