One year since first COVID patient at region's hospital

The trust, which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford & Rutland Hospitals, has cared for thousands of patients in the 12 months since the first patient arrived.

Just over a month after the first patient was admitted, there were more than 100 patients with the virus in the hospitals needing treatment. There was a first wave peak of 117 patients on April 27th, while during the second wave, the number of patients peaked at 308 on January 28 (according to government data)

The first reports of a COVID case in Peterborough were on March 6 - but this was later confirmed to be a resident from the Peterborough area who had contracted the virus elsewhere.By March 18, two cases had been confirmed in the citySince the first patient arrived, a total of 681 people have died in hospitals run by the trust including 463 at Peterborough City Hospital.

Caroline Walker, Chief Executive at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust said: “It has been a prolonged period of unimaginable circumstances in our hospitals, but it fills me with great pride that our staff have adapted amazingly well to meet these very different pressures. Services have had to run differently, staff have had to work in unfamiliar areas and we have had to constantly react to support the changing numbers of Covid-positive patients in our hospitals. Throughout it all, however, staff have worked tirelessly with the single aim of providing the best patient care. I would like to thank each and every one of them for the fantastic work they have done and continue to do.”