 |
|
|
|
The mortality rate for patients infected with Covid-19, requiring treatment in Intensive Care Units where full outcomes have been reported, is running at close to 50%, a report has revealed. The Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre (ICNARC) collates figures from NHS hospitals and does extensive analysis of these figures and publication of a report in order to determine the current status of the degree of Covid-19 infections, deaths and recovery from the pandemic in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The report found that though the majority of those who have died from Coronavirus (Covid-19) across the UK were over 70, nine of the 79 who died in intensive care were aged between 16 and 49, as were 28 of the 86 who survived. It also shows a high rate of mortality in patients treated with ventilators, leading some clinical experts to question the ability of the NHS to prevent deaths on the basis that by the time many patients require ventilation; it is already too late same them.
This is reflected on page 6 of report headed: ‘Outcome, length of stay and organ support’: Critical Care Unit outcomes have been received for 165 patients, of whom 79 patients have died and 86 were discharged alive from critical care The first page of the ICNARC report dated 27th March 2020 states: “This report, contains data on all confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to ICNARC up to midnight on 26th March 2020 from critical care units participating in the Case Mix Programme (all NHS adult, general intensive care and combined intensive care/high dependency units in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus some specialist and non-NHS critical care units).” Referring to the specific data analysed, and explains the source: “To date, ICNARC have been notified of 846 admissions to critical care units in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with confirmed COVID-19 either at or after admission to critical care. Of these, early data covering the first 24 hours in the critical care unit have been submitted to ICNARC for 795 admissions of 775 patients (Figure 1 in the report)” It then gives the current figures, which at present shows a near 10% death rate in those on ventilators, irrespective of whether the full outcome of all 775 cases is known. “Of the 775 patients, 79 patients have died, 86 patients were discharged alive from critical care and 609 patients were last reported as still being in critical care (Figure 2 in the report).” It further notes: “The majority of patients (393) are being managed by the three London Operational Delivery Networks (Figure 3 in the report). Note that Figure 1 and Figure 2 are affected by a variable lag time in submission of data of about 1-3 days (shaded grey).” The Guardian Newspaper is reporting today on the ICNARC statistical analysis,, highlights, gender and weight differences outcomes found in the statistics: ‘The audit suggested that men are at much higher risk from the virus – seven in ten of all ICU patients were male, while 30% of men in critical care were under 60, compared to just 15% of women. Excess weight also appears to be a significant risk factor; over 70% of patients were overweight, obese or clinically obese on the body mass index scale.’ It also quoted NHS Dr Poulter writing in the Observer, “NHS staff sickness levels are already high, and they are only going to increase as the Covid-19 outbreak intensifies. Many of us are also worried that we may be infected, yet asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) and therefore could be a potential risk to our patients, colleagues and families. That is the last thing that we would want, but we simply do not know. Widespread NHS staff testing would be a game-changer and would help NHS clinicians to both protect our patients and return to the front line faster.” It is clear that the lack of testing of ALL NHS clinical staff is causing ‘medical staff to stay away from work with relatively minor symptoms which are probably not Covid-19 related, such as a sore throat, for fear they may have the virus. If they were to test negative they could return to work.’ Despite saying the NHS will get all the money and resources it needs to fight the Coronavirus (Covid-19), funding is still an issue in this Governments policy responses to the pandemic which threatens up to 1 million people’s lives, according to some concerned sources. Rather than taking precautionary and preventative action, Michael Gove last Friday announced that testing of NHS staff will only be done on those currently at home in isolation! It is self-evident that minimising cost in the fight against this pandemic is the Government’s one single priority, as it claimed this weekend that keeping deaths below 20,000 would be a ‘good outcome’ for their plan of attack on the virus and for the ‘British spirit’ which is the ‘secret weapon’ with which the UK will beat the virus which has already killed over 1,000 of its citizens! Source: ICNARC / The Guardian / Unionsafety |
 |
