First new Covid death in Leeds recorded for more than 10 days

Figures released by NHS England show eight deaths were recorded in the country's hospitals in the 24 hours to 4pm on Monday, May 17.

The deaths were recorded between April 21 and May 16.

The time taken for positive results to be received is among the potential factors in a delay between a death happening and being recorded.

Since April 28 2020, NHS England and NHS Improvement also started to report the number of patient deaths where there has been no Covid-19 positive test result but it is documented as a direct or underlying cause of death in the death certification process.

The figures for the latest reporting period show there was one death of this type in England.

According to Government data, a total of 1,318 patients across all hospital trusts and community settings in Leeds have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 up to Monday, May 17.

This equates to 166.2 deaths per 100,000 people since the pandemic began, with the highest daily total being 19 deaths on November 7 2020.

Separate Office for National Statistics data, updated weekly, shows there have been a total of 1,708 deaths recorded in Leeds where the death certificate mentioned Covid-19 as one of the causes.

This equates to 215.3 deaths per 100,000 people since the pandemic began.

How many Covid patients are being treated in Leeds hospitals?

According to Government data on healthcare, one patient with Covid-19 was admitted to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust sites on Sunday, May 9 - the most recent date for which figures are available.

The total number of coronavirus patients admitted to the trust's hospitals since the pandemic began stands at 5,274.

The highest number of admissions recorded to date was 52 patients on November 11 2020.

As of Tuesday, May 11, 12 patients remained in hospital for treatment including six in mechanical ventilation beds.

The highest number of Covid patients being treated on any one day was 331 on November 22 2020, with the most patients in mechanical ventilation beds being reported as 45 on April 23 2020.

Figures for the number of patients discharged are not currently provided on a daily basis.

However, the latest NHS England data shows a total of 3,389 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 were discharged between March 19, 2020 and April 7, 2021.

Is the number of Covid cases rising in Leeds?

NOTE:

Revision to historical case data in England. The introduction of a new system disrupted the removal of cases where a positive rapid lateral flow test (LFD) was followed by all negative laboratory (PCR) tests taken within 3 days. Therefore 4,776 additional cases have been removed today. Regions and local authorities do not show the actual number of new cases reported. UK and England numbers of newly reported cases have been adjusted and correctly reflect new cases reported.

According to the latest Government figures, no new Covid-19 cases have been reported on Tuesday, May 18 - however this is due to the above information.

It brings the total number of people who have tested positive to 63,701.

The highest daily number of cases reported was 693 on October 1 2020.

There were 356 cases confirmed in the seven days to May 13, meaning Leeds has an infection rate of 44.9 per 100,000 people.

This is an decrease of 1.4 per cent on the previous seven-day period.

How many Covid tests have been carried out in Leeds?

According to the latest Government figures, 1.9 per cent of the 18,037 people in Leeds who received a PCR test went on to receive a positive result in the week ending May 13.

The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are lab-based and test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The figures also show that 9,373 lateral flow test results were provided on May 17 in Leeds, bringing the total to date to 912,307.

Those figures represent the number of confirmed positive, negative or void lateral flow device test results. This is a count of test results and may include multiple tests for an individual person.

Lateral flow devices test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus and are swab tests that give results in less than an hour, without needing to go to a laboratory.