OUTBREAKS of covid have been reported on “three to four wards” at James Cook Hospital – with trust chiefs gearing up for a second surge of cases on Teesside. 

A total of 25 positive cases have been confirmed at the Marton Road site with five people in critical care as of Tuesday (September 22). 

Councillors at Middlesbrough’s health scrutiny panel were told how the hospital had just “seven or eight” cases last week – but the second spike in virus cases in the community was now beginning to make its presence felt within hospitals. 

Mark Adams, South Tees joint director of public health, told members how covid cases were beginning to leech into older age groups on Teesside. 

He said: “We’re also seeing that reflected by activity in James Cook.

“Richard Bellamy, the director of infection control at the trust, said they were getting two or three covid cases a week, now it’s two or three day.

“There are also a number of outbreaks on about three or four different wards in James Cook so we’re starting to see it pick up again.

“This is the thing we were really concerned about – the community transmission among people who aren’t that ill but spreading into more vulnerable populations.”

The definition of an outbreak is two or more patients or staff who become covid positive within a 14 day period. 

Adrian Clements, medical director at South Tees NHS trust, told the panel how rising cases in the community were seeing staff catching covid outside hospital and bringing it in.

“I still think our control measures around covid are tight but the truth is covid is coming back,” he added.

“We’ve gone from a period of just one to two patients on site with covid, to last week where it was seven to eight.

“Today I can report we have 25 positive covid patients on site (Tuesday). 

“Our critical care area has five covid-positive admissions.” 

Figures published on Tuesday showed a big leap in cases on Teesside with 73 positive cases recorded on the back of 58 on Monday. 

During the first wave of the pandemic, James Cook dealt with a peak of 150 covid positive patients with the whole site split in two to limit any spread. 

Mr Clements told the panel the hospital had once again been forced to segregate one of its critical care areas for covid patients. 

The medical director added: “We’re also in the process of thinking about separating our site again and making preparations for a separate covid assessment unit on site for people coming into the hospital.”

Mr Clements said there was an “awful lot” of work being done to prepare for this latest covid surge. 

“Initially it was increased covid numbers in the community but we are certainly starting to see those numbers arrive in hospital,” he added. 

“We’re absolutely confident we’ll be able to deliver a robust covid response again. 

“It will have the added complexity of also having to deliver care to the rest of the population without covid – which didn’t happen last time. 

“But I think the trust is on it and we are very confident we can deal with this second covid surge if and when it arrives.”

Asked whether the hospital could take more than 350 covid patients, Mr Clements said the hospital was modelling the worst case scenario and was confident it could “still manage”. 

He added: “We have good oxygen supply to our ward areas on the site – we’re fortunate it’s a relatively new estate and we have robust plans in place to deliver care for up to 350 covid positive patients.

But the medical director added the modelling had indicated a response lasting longer may well be needed for this latest rise in cases. 

“We will wait and see how bad the pandemic is and what the numbers look like but we are now preparing for the potential worst case scenario – and there’s a duty for us to do that,” said Mr Clements. 

He added: “My feeling and sense is this time, it probably will be worse. 

“I’m not saying that to cause any distress but I do think we need to prepare for that. 

“The last one (outbreak) was a bit of a test bed for the hospital – we put huge processes in place and did an awful lot of learning.

“We’re ready for the next wave of covid and I think, unfortunately, that wave is coming. 

“All the indicators are that the hospital impact will start from here – and if something doesn’t change, that impact will increase significantly over the coming weeks.”

The medical director rounded off saying he was confident the trust could respond to that scenario as well as other high level care demands on the site including cases of trauma, cancer and neuro-surgical emergencies. 

“The local population needs to help us,” said Mr Clements.

“We are seeing a rise in people with covid entering our services – and the rules of social distancing, wearing of face masks and being sensible is where the population can help us.”