Covid death rate in hospitals HALVES as less than 15 per cent of patients die from deadly bug, new figures reveal

THE coronavirus death rate in hospitals has halved since the start of the pandemic, new figures reveal.

Fewer than 15 per cent of patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19 since the start of September have died from the bug – compared with just under 30 per cent during the spring.

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Separate figures suggest the death rate for patients who needed intensive care has fallen even further – from 39.3 per cent up to August 31 to 11.6 per cent since then.

The dramatic falls were revealed in an analysis by the Health Service Journal this week.

Doctors say there are several factors behind the improvement.

More widespread testing means that most patients are diagnosed and begin their treatment at an earlier stage. 

Treatments have also improved, with fewer patients being ventilated and more being given the effective oxygen pressure masks to keep their airways open.

There are also effective life-saving drugs such as dexamethasone.

'BETTER PREPARED'

The report also notes that "many of the most vulnerable people succumbed to the virus in the first wave".

Vulnerable and elderly patients are also being better shielded now than they were before.

Mohammed Munavvar, consultant chest physician and president of the British Thoracic Society, said: "I think the difference between springtime and now is that we are better informed and better prepared."

Meanwhile Dr Alison Pittard, dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, said the reduced death rates for intensive care units may be "skewed" – as almost half of those admitted since September 1 are still there.

Most scientists predict Covid kills between 0.5 per cent and 1 per cent of its patients.

However, the true figure is not yet known.

The latest figures from the Department of Health show that as of October 10, 4,124 patients were in hospital with coronaviurs in the UK.

And as of October 11, 477 of these pateints were on ventilators.

Another 18,980 people were diagnosed with coronavirus in Britain on Thursday and 138 more people lost their lives to the bug – one of the deadliest days since June.

In total, 673,622 people in the UK have now been infected with Covid.

The UK's death toll has now reached 43,293 – although separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there have now been 58,500 deaths registered where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

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