More than 750 Covid patients in Norfolk hospitals

Dr Louise Smith is warning us to follow the rules

Author: Beth PriddingPublished 18th Jan 2021

The rate of infection in Norfolk remains above the national average at 472.8 per hundred thousand people as of the 12th January.

The new variant of the virus, which is thought to be up to 70% more transmissible, is making up three quarters of cases in the county, according to experts.

It's hoped the third lockdown will see the number of cases in the county drop.

But Dr Louise Smith says it may be some time before we start to see the effects of the new restrictions.

She said:

"We have, at the moment, 770 people in hospital, and a further 43 in critical care units.

"At the moment, the rises in the numbers being admitted to hospital are very steep indeed, and we anticipate that will continue for a week or two.

"It is too early at this stage to see the impact on hospital admissions of lockdown because it takes a number of weeks for those changes to work through, so we anticipate there will be continued pressure, particularly on healthcare services."

Case numbers in Norfolk have dropped slightly, by 6.6%, in the seven days to the 12th January on the week before.

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