THE number of patients with Covid-19 in beds at University Hospital Southampton has fallen to its lowest level for many months – with some wards returning to their normal use.

As of yesterday afternoon there were just 21 Covid patients receiving treatment at University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust.

The trust’s chief operating officer, Joe Teape, said the support of the community had allowed hospital staff to continue to treat those most in need throughout the winter months.

And now work is being down to resume some surgical and elective treatment at the hospital which had to be moved elsewhere at the height of the second wave.

Mr Teape said as lockdown restrictions ease, the trust is “conscious that increases the potential for a further wave to come”.

“We are contingency planning with that in mind and, as always, looking at lessons learned to see how we can continue to improve our response should the situation arise,” said Mr Teape.

“Alongside this, we are working hard to bring back our vitally needed services for our patients and community. With the number of Covid patients lessening it is enabling us to start to return wards that had been accommodating Covid patients back to their primary purpose.

“We are also beginning to bring back to UHS some of the surgical and elective work that, during the height of the pandemic, we’d had to outsource to local independent hospital partners to ensure critical care could safely continue for some of our most unwell patients.

“We are incredibly grateful for their support in really challenging times, but equally delighted to be able to start the process of reopening all our own theatres again.”

At the peak of the second wave in mid-January more than 300 beds were occupied by Covid patients at the hospital. Until the past few days, this figure had not been below 50 since the middle of December.

Mr Teape added: “This has only been possible due to the continuing dedication and hard work of all our staff and I would like to personally congratulate and thank them all for everything they have done in continuing to champion and adhere to infection control and our Covid Zero campaign that the Daily Echo partnered with us to promote amongst our community.

“What is becoming apparent is just what this collective effort has meant. UHS has relatively fared better than many hospitals across the country and even in our own region, in relation to low death rates in COVID positive patients and hospital acquired infection. A great achievement and testament to how our staff, patients and community have pulled together to protect the safety of themselves and each other. “

Mr Teape said now was not the time for people to stop following the guidance. He said: “If we stick to what we’ve done so well to-date, even if another wave does come it will hopefully then be smaller and more manageable for us all.”