KGH confirms three more coronavirus deaths

Nine more Covid-19 deaths were confirmed in Northamptonshire today.

Three of those deaths were announced by Kettering General Hospital, with all three patients losing their life on June 11.

The other six confirmed took place at Northampton General Hospital - the second highest figure of all English hospital trusts who announced deaths today.

Nationally just 67 deaths in English hospitals were confirmed today, meaning almost one in seven of all deaths took place in Northamptonshire.

Patients were aged between 37 and 102 and just three had no known underlying health condition.

The grim death toll at KGH now stands at 206.

Earlier today the Northants Telegraph revealed the true toll of Covid-19 at the Rothwell Road hospital.

Internal figures provided regularly to key staff at the trust, which have not yet been audited by the government, show that:

- The total, cumulative, number of KGH inpatients diagnosed with Covid-19 rose from 557 on May 28 to 663 last night (June 12). That's a rise of 106 in fifteen days.

- The number of people who have recovered from Covid-19 at KGH and been discharged since the beginning of the outbreak is 234, up from 196 two weeks ago.

- The number of patients in ICU has dropped from six on May 28 to three last night.

Yesterday, in a message to all staff, medical director Prof Andrew Chilton and director of nursing and midwifery Leanne Hackshall reminded staff of basic social distancing rules.

The memo said: "Many people have approached us and spoken of how well the trust has done in keeping staff safe and supplied with appropriate PPE.

"KGH employees have gone the extra mile in making sure that we have been able to do this.

"In addition we have introduced staff testing for the virus.. In return, Leanne and I have an ask, a simple ask, that is very effective in preventing the chain of infection while keeping patients and staff safe.

"This is to respect and adhere to social distancing (plus handwashing). We have been struck in our travels around the trust how many staff do not appear to be aware or mindful of this.

"We constantly find ourselves having to take on the role of 'school monitor'."

In all, 475 patients have died in the two main hospitals — 269 in Northampton and 206 at Kettering.

Other patients have died under the care of Northamptonshire Health Foundation Trust, which provides mental health, community nursing, sexual health and physiotherapy services within the county and also at prisons outside. Locations are not revealed for NHFT deaths so they are not be included in our county totals.

Labs had returned 1,606 positive coronavirus tests in Northamptonshire according to latest figures collated at 9am yesterday (Friday), a rise of 12 in the previous 24 hours and 50 over seven days.