Southport Hospital Covid-19 death toll rises above 300 as latest figures revealed

Over 300 people have tragically died at Southport Hospital and Ormskirk Hospital since the Covid-19 pandemic began. 

The traffic number was announced in the latest figures released yesterday (Friday 15 January). 

The NHS said that Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust recorded one death on January 13 and one on January 14, bringing the total number of fatalities due to Coronavirus at our local hospitals to 301 since the pandemic began in March last year. 

Sefton now has the sixth fastest growing rate of Coronavirus infections in England, with a current rate of 1,044.5 cases per 100,000 people. 

There were 2887 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Sefton  in the seven days to 10 January 2021, a 39.1% increase on the previous week with an additional 811 cases than the previous week. 

People in Southport, Formby, Bootle and across Sefton who must risk leaving their homes and mixing with others during lockdown are being urged to keep getting repeated tests for Covid-19.

The successful Liverpool pilot to deliver SMART testing was rolled-out across the City Region just before Christmas; to target everyone in the area and find positive people who were not showing symptoms.

However, with a national lockdown in place and most people urged to stay home, the 20 non-symptomatic sites across the City Region, including Splash World in Southport, are now being used to target key workers and those who have to mix with others because of either paid, or unpaid, caring commitments.

Although people often see key workers as emergency or “blue light” staff the LCR pilot is aimed at everyone who has to continue mixing because of their job role. This includes both public and private sector workers such as essential shop and supermarket staff, taxi drivers, postal workers and many other key services that we continue to rely on during lockdown.

The leaders of the six City Region Local Authorities and Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram, are urging people in such roles to continue coming forward for the rapid test.

“SMART” testing refers to Systematic, Meaningful, Asymptomatic, Repeated Testing, and around 250,000 people have now been tested as part of the pilot. Repeatedly testing those who have no symptoms, in a targeted way, has helped to keep infection numbers lower than many other areas in the North West.

Everyone must continue to be vigilant however as the new variant of Covid-19 is spread more easily than the first. This means that staying home if you can, maintaining a safe distance from others, washing your hands and avoiding touching your face are more important than ever.

Anyone who must mix with others during lockdown, for legitimate work or care reasons, can simply turn-up for rapid, regular and free testing without having symptoms of Covid-19. People taking the test usually get their results within the hour.

Executive Director of Sefton Council, Andrea Watts, who is helping to coordinate the LCR testing pilot, added: “SMART is a huge opportunity for the Liverpool City Region and I’ve no doubt that we can continue to identify key workers and carers who may be Covid positive without showing symptoms throughout the lockdown.

“Targeted repeat testing, two or three times a week, of these groups can make a real difference to the way we live-through and exit out of lockdown while the rollout of the vaccine continues.

“Together, we can keep testing those key workers who do not have symptoms – while of course still being extra cautious around ensuring we do the basics – hands, space, face.”

For more information on when and how testing is available in Sefton, and an interactive map of non-symptomatic testing locations, please go to the Sefton Council website or go to www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

#LetsGetTested

#LetsGetVaccinated

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