Final NHS bulletin of the year reveals 987 Covid deaths in Northamptonshire hospitals and care homes during 2020

NHS England confirmed 14 more coronavirus deaths in Northamptonshire's two main hospitals amid fears people will ignore New Year's Eve party bans and risk more Covid-19 cases.

In it's final daily bulletin of 2020, the health service revealed 11 deaths among Covid-19 patients at Northampton General Hospital between Christmas Eve and yesterday.

A further three previously unrecorded deaths were confirmed at Kettering General Hospital, all on December 29.

Front line staff at Northamptonshire's acute hospitals have now seen 781 deaths among patients being treated for Covid-19 since March — 462 at Northampton and 319 at Kettering.

NHS figures included patients who either tested positive for Covid-19 within the previous 28 days or have the virus mentioned on their death certificate.

A lag in reporting means it could be up to a week before the final toll for 2020 is known.

The Care Quality Commission also identified 206 deaths in county care homes which were linked to the virus while 17 deaths have been confirmed at settings run by Northamptonshire Healthcare Federation Trust — which includes sites outside the county — the most recent on December 29.

Today's sobering news comes on the day Northamptonshire was put into highest tier of Covid-19 restrictions with a 'Stay at Home' message for residents.

But public health officials warned anyone who took advantage of relaxations in Covid-19 restrictions to see loved ones on Christmas Day could now be at greatest risk of passing on the virus.

Rhosyn Harris, public health consultant at Northamptonshire County Council said: “The virus takes five or six days to develop on average after you've been infected — and that's also the point at which you're at peak infectiousness.

“So if people mixed on Christmas Day and passed it on to their friends or relatives, those friends and relatives are likely to be at their peak infectiousness on New Year's Eve.”

“We've all had a pretty rubbish year and I have so much sympathy for people who just want to celebrate the end of it.

"However, I think we just need to think about the big party we can have at the end of this rather than putting ourselves at risk now, potentially putting ourselves at risk of an even longer lockdown and more deaths."

County NHS chiefs have also issued another plea for the public to think carefully before visiting Accident and Emergency departments over the New Year weekend.

NGH chief executive Deborah Needham said: “We have 270 patients across both hospitals with Covid and, including our normal non-Covid patients, both hospitals are full.

"We are extremely busy and we expect these pressures are likely to remain for the next few months.

"So, please be ready to collect patients from hospital as soon as they are ready to go home so we can use their bed to treat another patient.

"And please choose the right service for your needs to ensure our A&E is able to help those with life-threatening or serious illnesses or injuries.

"If you have an urgent medical concern and you are not sure where to go the NHS 111 online and phone services are there to help. Or visit your pharmacy or the urgent care centre in Corby."