Covid-19: Hospitals prepare for peak of latest virus surge

Hospitals are preparing for the expected peak of the latest Covid-19 surge this week, the Northern Trust's chief executive has said.

Jennifer Welsh said there was "huge pressure across the (healthcare) system" with more intensive care admissions expected.

Thirty patients were awaiting admission to Antrim Area Hospital on Sunday morning, she said.

There are 840 patients being treated for Covid- 19 across Northern Ireland.

Sixty two of those patients are in intensive care and NI hospitals are working at 95% capacity, with some exceeding that, the latest figures show.

On Saturday, 22 more Covid-19-related deaths were reported in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of deaths recorded by the Department of Health since the start of the pandemic to 1,581.

At the beginning of January, Health Minister Robin Swann said that modelling indicated the "peak of the third surge" would hit in the third week of January.

Frontline health staff have spoken to BBC News NI about their "exhaustion" and stress, as the pressure on the system continues to increase amid the surging number of cases.

Northern Ireland is currently in the third week of a six-week lockdown, with ministers scheduled to review measures next week.

However, health officials have warned that an extension of the restrictions could be required to reduce pressure on the health service.

Ms Welsh told BBC NI's Sunday Politics programme that the "ICU surge is yet to come" and that the Northern Trust - where two major hospitals, Antrim Area and Causeway, are located - has had to redeploy staff to prepare for the coming days.

She said both hospitals had been "under significant pressure and have been for some time".

She said that 30 patients in Antrim Area's Emergency Department are waiting on a bed after a decision was made to admit them - 24 of those patients have been waiting longer than 12 hours.

Ms Welsh added that almost half of all patients in Antrim Area Hospital have tested positive for Covid-19.

"At the peak of the first wave in Antrim and Causeway the highest number of Covid positive patients was 73.

"In November, the highest number was 102 and we peaked on Thursday at 202. We have now dropped below that slightly."

The chief executive said the hospitals were "coping but at great cost", with many urgent surgeries cancelled.

"Emergency surgery is being done but we are not being able to do any other in the Antrim Area site.

"We have been able to deliver some red flag cancer surgery at Causeway but we would like to do more."

Despite these emergency measures already being in place, the worst of the current surge is only expected to arrive this week.

She added: "We are not going to get out of this quickly. It's going to be a challenge for us as a system.

"It's been building from October."

"We're not yet at the peak of intensive care admissions and we expect that this week.

"Antrim has doubled its intensive care beds from seven to 14 in anticipation of the coming surge.

"Today, 11 are already being used.

"All hospitals have doubled their ICU footprint. There are more than 160 inpatients in Antrim Area Hospital."