STAFF at Royal Blackburn Hospital says it has "far too many" Covid patients to cope with.
According to medical professionals who have spoken to BBC North West for a programme that will be broadcast on Monday evening, the hospital is currently caring for almost as many criticall ill Covid patients as it was during the height of the first wave of the pandemic last year.
Some of those being cared for are aged in their 20s.
Staff at the Royal Blackburn say they're having to send some Covid patients to other hospitals because their own critical care unit is full. They're currently caring for nearly as many critically ill Covid patients, as at the height of the first wave - some aged in their 20s. pic.twitter.com/JkcgTE71GM
— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) July 19, 2021
Speaking to the BBC, one member of staff said:
"We have been putting beds in between bed to make Covid bed spaces.
"The whole of the critical care unit as it was is now back to being Covid.
"We've transferred patients out to other hospitals."
She said that the hospital had "far to many" patients to cope with.
This comes with the majority of coronavirus restrictions having been lifted across England on Monday July 19, but also while infection rates across East Lancashire and the North West remain high.
Meanwhile, the latest available data from the Department for Health and Social Care shows that 1,217 people were told to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 in the week to July 7.
BBC North West Tonight will air at 6.30pm.
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