Covid-19: Hospital admissions rise in England as some trusts reinstate mask requirements

The number of people admitted to hospital with covid-19 in England rose by almost a third last week, official data1 show.

Between 27 September 2022 and 3 October 2022, 7904 people were admitted to hospital with covid-19, an increase of 33% compared with 5930 in the previous seven days. There were 9631 patients in hospital with covid on 5 October, a rise of 37% compared with 7024 on 28 September.

Responding to the latest figures, NHS Providers’ interim chief executive, Saffron Cordery, said, “The steady uptick in covid-19 infections is causing concern among trust leaders, with new admissions soaring by a third over the past week.

“It is also worrying that there are now nearly 10 000 people in hospital with covid—also nearly up by a third from last week—with the number of patients on ventilators also rising.

“With increased NHS staff absences because of covid-19 and the health and care system bracing itself for a possible ‘twindemic’ of covid-19 and flu, we would urge everyone who is offered a covid-19 booster or flu vaccine to have their jabs.”

Data from NHS England2 show that as of 4 October, there were 8702 beds in total occupied by confirmed covid-19 patients, of whom just over a third (3064) were being treated primarily for covid-19.

The number of people in hospital beds with a mechanical ventilator was 195 on 5 October, up from 160 the previous week.

Between 25 September and 1 October, there were 450 deaths within 28 days of a positive covid test, an increase of 9.8% compared with the previous week.

Latest data from the Office for National Statistics3 show that about one in 50 people in England—an estimated 1 105 400 people—tested positive for covid-19 in the week ending 24 September, a rise from 857 400 people, or one in 65, the previous week. Cases also increased in Northern Ireland, but the trends were uncertain in Wales and Scotland.

Amid the rise in covid cases, several NHS trusts across the country have reintroduced requirements to wear face coverings, including East Suffolk and North Essex,4 Great Western Hospitals in Swindon,5 and East Lancashire Hospitals.6

In a statement East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said, “We are currently seeing an increase in the number of cases and this is rising quickly. In response, it is necessary for patients and visitors to wear masks in all areas of our hospitals and other healthcare settings (including home and social care setting visits) from 5 October. The wearing of masks is an important safety measure to control the unintended transmission of covid-19.”

The omicron subvariant BA.5 remains the most common in the UK, but experts are monitoring the growth of new omicron subvariants—including BA4.6, BF.7, BA.2.75.2, and BQ.1.1—that may affect the overall number of cases if they continue to grow.7