Gateshead's QE has no Covid-19 patients for the first time since August

A North East hospital has confirmed that it currently has no coronavirus patients but has warned that people must remain vigilant.

It is understood that this is the first time the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Gateshead has had no Covid patients since late August.

But Andy Beeby, medical director at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, warned that the virus is still in circulation and urged people to stick to the rules.

He said:

“We can confirm that the Trust currently has no Covid patients, however it’s important to remember that the virus is still in circulation and we must remain vigilant.

“We all need to play our part in taking the next steps out of lockdown carefully and safely. We need to keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe by following the guidelines, continuing to only meet outdoors, remain socially distanced and remember hands, face, space, fresh air.”

This comes after data for March shows coronavirus was the third leading cause of death in England and Wales.

It is the first time since October 2020 that the virus has not been the biggest killer in the two nations.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows that Covid accounted for 9.2% of all deaths registered in England and 6.3% in Wales.

It was previously the leading cause of death each month from November to February, reported Wales Online.

The leading cause of death was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in England, accounting for 10.1% of all deaths registered in March, and it was ischaemic heart diseases in Wales at 11.8% of all deaths.