How the coronavirus pandemic unfolded at KGH as deaths finally slow down

In four months or just 17 weeks, 217 people have lost their lives to coronavirus at KGH.

The bleak news is a reminder of how quickly the pandemic unfolded in Northamptonshire after the first case was confirmed by the Department of Health on March 3.Less than a fortnight after the first confirmed case, a patient at KGH who tested positive for coronavirus sadly passed away on March 16.

It was the first confirmed coronavirus death in Northamptonshire and occurred in the early stages of the pandemic, when there was around 2,000 confirmed cases in the UK.

After the first death on March 16, the number of Covid-19 deaths at the Rothwell Road hospital increased rapidly and within 43 days the total had passed the 100 mark.Figures from NHS England show that by April 27 there had been 105 coronavirus deaths at KGH.

The hospital's worst days were during this period. Between April 11 and May 12, there was at least one death every single day and in total, 97 people died at KGH over this period.

The worst individual days were April 3 and April 20, when seven people lost their lives to Covid-19 on each day, the most deaths in a single day at KGH.

Six people died each day on April 5, April 12, April 27 and May 22.

The national picture suggested the peak had been in April, but coronavirus deaths at KGH continued to rise throughout May and by the end of the month the total death toll stood at 189.

In late May, KGH's medical director, Professor Andrew Chilton, warned the public that the local situation was still serious and said: "While it is fair to say that overall, so far, our COVID-19 deaths have not yet followed the national picture of decline, which is largely influenced by London and the West Midlands, which were first hit and hardest hit.

"This suggests the local situation is still settling. People should recognise the situation locally is still a serious one and it should not be underestimated."

Similarly, the county's director of public health, Lucy Wightman, said: "Locally we are continuing to see new cases, hospitalisations and, sadly, deaths from Covid-19."

Fortunately, since mid-June, there have been fewer and fewer deaths occurring at KGH.

The change has been swift - there were only 11 days with no coronavirus deaths at KGH between March 16 and June 4, but since June 5 KGH has recorded 28 days with no deaths.

For the first time since before the first Covid-19 death, the hospital went a whole week with no deaths between June 27 and July 3.

For the past 10 days, there have been no deaths linked to coronavirus at KGH. There has been just one Covid-19 death at KGH in July, compared to 23 over the same period last month.

The sudden change is noticeable on a graph of KGH's total death toll, which has flattened over the last few weeks following two months of steady increases.

KGH's medical director, Professor Andrew Chilton, said: "It is encouraging that we have seen a reduction in deaths from this terrible disease and in the most serious coronavirus cases needing hospital treatment. But the pandemic is not over and we all need to remain extremely vigilant.

"As lockdown has eased it is very important that we all continue to wash our hands regularly and thoroughly, maintain appropriate social distance and wear face-coverings as per the national guidelines."

The news will be welcome for the people of north Northamptonshire, but the situation remains serious with Kettering and Northampton appearing on Public Health England's list of top 20 areas of concern due to rising numbers of Covid-19 cases. Government figures show there are 577 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Kettering, 308 in Corby, 381 in East Northants and 333 in Wellingborough.

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