The latest deaths at Harrogate were recorded yesterday and bring the total at the district hospital to 32. Across Yorkshire and the North East, a further 83 people have died. The figure across England was 482- a drop of 302 from Saturday.
NHS England said the patients who died were aged between 34 and 104 years old. 6 of them had no known underlying health condition. These figures do not account for deaths outside the hospital of people who were not tested but died of suspected coronavirus.
Earlier this week, the hospital confirmed it had treated and discharged 51 patients so far. It also announced that the first patient had been discharged after treatment for coronavirus on a ventilator. Staff are understood to have applauded as the patient left the hospital.
We are really pleased to announce that our first patient who has been on a ventilator as a result of having COVID19 has today been discharged home. #COVID19 #OurNHSPeople
— Harrogate NHS FT (@HarrogateNHSFT) April 17, 2020
Hospital appeals for gowns as national shortage hits Harrogate
Hairdressers and others are being asked to donate gowns to Harrogate District Hospital after a national shortage affected supplies.
Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity (HHCC) posted on its Facebook page today calling for help in sourcing the gowns.
It said: “At the Trust, we are doing OK for the next few days, but we need to plan ahead so we don’t run out of stock. We have a few initiatives under way already to increase our stock, but more needs to be done.
“We are asking our local community to help us if possible.”
The hospital needs gowns with sleeves to below the elbow which are water resistant. HHCC suggested these could come from hairdressers, but it is open to other options.
A group which has been organising the making and delivery of scrubs for the hospital, has been approached to help. However, it will take some time for the right material to be sourced and waterproof gowns completed, so the hospital is looking for short-term solutions.
Anyone able to help with ready-to-use supplies is asked to email hdft.hhcc@nhs.net.
Thirty patients are now confirmed to have died with coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital.
NHS England released the figures today, which reveal two more deaths happened on Thursday, April 18th, bringing the total for that day to three. No deaths have yet been reported for yesterday, Friday, by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.
Across England, a further 784 deaths have been confirmed, contributing to the 888 across the UK. It brings the UK’s total death county to more than 15,000.
This week, the hospital confirmed it has treated and discharged 51 patients so far. It has also announced that the first patient has been discharged after treatment for coronavirus on a ventilator. Staff are understood to have applauded as the patient left the hospital.
We are really pleased to announce that our first patient who has been on a ventilator as a result of having COVID19 has today been discharged home. #COVID19 #OurNHSPeople
— Harrogate NHS FT (@HarrogateNHSFT) April 17, 2020
Nearly £4,500 raised for Harrogate nurse who died of coronavirus
People have raised nearly £4,500 to pay towards the funeral of a nurse who died with coronavirus after treating patients at Harrogate District Hospital.
Zauma Ekoli, who was 55 and had five children, died on Monday at Leeds General Infirmary after working on a coronavirus wards in Harrogate.
Now 250 people have raised £4,410 out of £8,000 at the time of publication on a Facebook fundraiser to pay for the nurse’s funeral.
Several also left touching tributes on the page calling Josie a “kind and caring person with a heart of gold.”
Emma Macpherson added: “Nothing was ever too much trouble for her and she touched the hearts of everybody that she worked with. We will all miss her so so much. Fly high with the angels.”
Tessya Tsaty Mabiala said: “Please donate to this cause for this wonderful woman. She was a strong, caring and kind-hearted soul who always found the best in everyone. She died trying to save others from this merciless virus.”
Zauma Ekoli was 55 and had five children.
Daughter Naomie said her mother called the provisions of personal protective equipment (PPE) available “poor” but said her mother continued to work in the job that “meant everything to her”.
The hospital said it has sufficient supplies of PPE and that they are getting regular deliveries.
Harrogate hospital reports another coronavirus death – but confirms 51 people have been dischargedHarrogate District Hospital has reported that another one of its patients who tested positive for coronavirus has died, as the number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire passes 500.
However, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has for the first time released figures for the number of people who have been treated and discharged. As of today, 51 people who had been admitted to the hospital have gone home.
— Harrogate NHS FT (@HarrogateNHSFT) April 16, 2020
The latest patient died on Tuesday and was announced with a further 740 people across England today. Scotland reported 80 deaths, Wales recorded 32 and Northern Ireland reported 18.
Patients were aged between 28 and 103 years old. 40 of the 740 patients, who were aged between 45 and 93 years old, had no known underlying health condition.
Of the 740 deaths, the North East and Yorkshire region made up one of the largest proportion with 150 deaths.
As of today, there are 532 confirmed cases in North Yorkshire. A jump from 486 cases yesterday. Wednesday also marked the first time Harrogate hospital did not report a coronavirus death in 12 days.
The number of deaths in the Harrogate district now stands at 26, though these only include people who have been tested and treated in hospital. Any which happened elsewhere, such as care homes, would not be tested so are not counted in official figures.
No further coronavirus deaths for first time in 12 daysThere have been no further confirmed deaths of patients with coronavirus symptoms in the Harrogate district, according to the latest information from NHS England.
In its daily update, the organisation said no coronavirus-related deaths were reported by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust yesterday.
Although the statistics are released daily, some fatalities can take several days to be confirmed, especially following weekends. However, not only are there no deaths reported for yesterday, but there have been no additional confirmed deaths for the preceding days.
Prior to today, there had been at least one death confirmed every day since Friday, April 3rd.
Across England, there have been 651 confirmed deaths in figures released today. That compares with 744 yesterday and 677 on Monday.
The number of deaths in the Harrogate district still stands at 25, though these only include people who have been tested and treated in hospital. Any which happened elsewhere, such as care homes, would not be tested so are not counted in official figures.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in North Yorkshire is 486, but with testing only being carried out in hospitals, it is likely that there are many more unconfirmed cases in the community.
Although the statistics could be showing a leveling-off in numbers, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of health and adult services this week warned the peak of the crisis was yet to reach the county.
Meanwhile, NHS staff have been arriving at Harrogate Convention Centre ready for the new Nightingale hospital to begin taking its first patients.
Hospital says it has enough PPE after daughter criticises protection given to nurse who died with coronavirusThe death of a nurse who had been treating coronavirus patients at Harrogate District Hospital has prompted further concern about the level of protection given to staff.
Nurse Zauma Ekoli was known as Josie
Zauma Ekoli, who was 55 and had five children, died on Monday at Leeds General Infirmary after working on wards in Harrogate.
Daughter Naomie said her mother, who had worked on a coronavirus ward, called the provisions of personal protective equipment (PPE) available “poor” but said her mother continued to work in the job that “meant everything to her”.
“If they don’t work, then we won’t be treated, so the least they could do is up the PPE so they can make sure it doesn’t happen to another family,” she said.
Harrogate NHS Foundation Trust said it has sufficient supplies.
A spokesperson said:
“The Coronavirus pandemic has presented the NHS with many challenges, one of which is the significant increase in the use of Personal Protective Equipment.
“We have implemented the national guidance as published by Public Health England. This is very clear about what PPE should be used in which situation to protect our staff. We have enough PPE in stock, and are getting regular deliveries of new items. It is a challenge and we’re doing all we can to maintain provision.”
The Stray Ferret has received a significant number of reports of staff going without vital equipment. Individual members of staff felt unable to speak openly about the problems they faced, but many have expressed their gratitude for the additional equipment being delivered by the community.
Groups in Harrogate have mobilised to source and create PPE, including sewing hundreds of sets of scrubs for staff to wear while on shift.
The spokesperson for Harrogate NHS Foundation Trust added:
“We would like to say thank you to local schools, businesses and organisations who have very generously supported us by producing and providing Personal Protective Equipment, complementing what we are receiving via the NHS supply chain.”
‘Top priority’
Meanwhile, the director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council this week put a call out for support from businesses able to create medical-grade face masks for us across health and social care services.
Richard Webb said although a delivery of PPE was received in the county last week, it was not clear when more would arrive. With government guidance on the use of protective equipment changing frequently, and staff across the NHS and social care services all needing the same supplies, any deliveries would not last long.
Speaking to The Stray Ferret on Monday evening, he said:
Harrogate hospital coronavirus deaths now at 25“What we really want is a regular supply of this equipment and at the moment that’s not coming through in the way that the NHS and councils and care providers need it.
“The government have given it a really top priority on Friday night when they announced their new plan. We need to see during the coming week much more regular supplies of the right kit.”
Harrogate District Hospital has reported that one of its patients who tested positive for coronavirus has died.
It brings the total number of deaths connected to COVID-19 at the hospital up to 25.
The death was reported yesterday and is part of a further 744 people who have died in England’s hospitals.
Patients were aged between 34 and 102 years old.
58 of those, aged between 38 and 96 years old, had no known underlying health conditions.
Across the UK, 813 people have died after contracting coronavirus.
These figures do not include deaths outside hospital, such as those in care homes.
It emerged today that the true number of deaths in the UK could be 15% higher than official figures released by the Department for Health and Social Care.
The Office for National Statistics said that the 15% increase accounts for deaths in the community and care homes.
Harrogate hospital opens advice line for cancer patientsHarrogate District Hospital has opened up an advice line for patients with cancer or suspected cancer to talk about treatment in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The telephone line will be staffed by administrative and nursing staff so that it has clinical oversight each day.
It will be open 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm Mondays to Fridays excluding Bank Holidays. The number to call is 01423 557964.
Outside of those hours there will be a voicemail message that advises callers to contact NHS 11 or 999 in an emergency.
Anyone who has developed symptoms from their cancer treatment has been urged to call the Acute Oncology Helpline on 01423 555444.
Hospital cancels all non-urgent elective operations
It comes after the hospital was forced to cancel all non-urgent elective operations from April 15 – tomorrow – for at least three months.
Robert Harrison, Chief Operating Officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Urgent and emergency cases and cancer treatments will be carrying on as normal, but we know many people waiting for treatment will be disappointed or worried, and we will be contacting everyone affected as soon as possible.”
Todays figures show a further 79 people in Yorkshire and the North East, who tested positive to covid-19, have died – the two deaths at Harrogate District Hospital were recorded yesterday. The figure for the region was lower than that of the Midlands, which saw the highest number of recorded daily deaths at 170, and the North West at 102. London was 158.
The total number of deaths at Harrogate hospital is now 24.
Public Health England’s Medical Director, Professor Yvonne Doyle, warned yesterday that while the number of people in hospital with coronavirus in London was stabilising, Yorkshire and the North East is an area “where pressure was building”.
Todays figures show that across England a further 667 people died from coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals to 10,261.
Patients were aged between 17 and 101 years old. 40 of them had no known underlying health condition.
These figures do not include deaths outside hospital, such as those in care homes.