CHESHIRE NHS bosses are warning their hospitals are under huge pressure from coronavirus admissions - and they still haven't taken into account the upswing in cases brought about by the Christmas rules relaxation.

Last week Cheshire West's Covid-19 outbreak board heard from the Chief Executive of the Countess of Chester NHS Trust Dr Susan Gilby — where she revealed that her hospital has "the highest number 9of cases) in the north west of any hospital".

Dr Gilby said that 50 per cent of all the patients in the Chester hospital were Covid-19 related — with 231 coronavirus patients forcing the opening of a fifth Covid-only ward.

She added: "The Countess is in a really challenged position. We have had a lot of Covid in-patients since November, and we went into Christmas with 30 per cent of general and acute beds filled with patients who needed treatment for Covid.

"By this January, it was 40 per cent. Today, it is 50 per cent. They continued to come in today."

The latest data from January 5 shows that Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Leighton Hospital, has 143 Covid patients, with East Cheshire (Macclesfield) currently supporting 116 such patients.

Staff absences have exacerbated the situation in Chester where 185 staff are off due to Covid-19 symptoms or isolation, with 60 per cent of these currently ill.

Dr Gilby also issued an alarming warning about the nature of new admissions when she said: "The thing we have noticed is that we have had a number of admissions of younger patients. We are seeing increasing numbers of people in their 40s or 50s admitted with chest problems.

"We have lost a 30 year old — it is affecting younger people in a pretty shocking way."

What are case numbers like?

Data going into the weekend confirmed another 280 cases for Cheshire East, and 354 for the western half of the county on Friday alone.

That takes Cheshire East 's infection rate to 472.2 per 100,000 residents, and 595.2 for Cheshire West and Chester.

Cheshire East Council leader Sam Corcoran said that "at least ten per cent" of the borough had caught Covid-19.

The Labour politician said: "There have now been 13,930 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Cheshire East. To put that in some perspective, the population of Cheshire East is about 380,000, so 13,930 represents about four per cent, or just under four per cent — that's one in 25 of the population who have already tested positive for Covid-19.

"Given the low rate of testing during the first wave, that suggests that at least ten per cent of the population have already had Covid-19."

"However, to get herd immunity, you need to have at least 70 per cent immunity, and most vaccination programmes aim for 95 per cent — so we really need the vaccination programme."

Cllr Corcoran is concerned that pressures on the NHS locally will increase for the next few weeks.

However, he also believed that a glimmer of light is at the end of the tunnel: "I am hopeful that the infection rates after a peak due to the Christmas [rules] relaxations will plateau due to the tier three and tier four restrictions, and then begin to fall due to the impact of lockdown.

"But the next few weeks will be difficult for the NHS, so please do stay at home, and if you do go out, stay two metres apart, wear a mask, don't touch your face, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water as soon as you return home."

How worried should we be?

There is a recognition that the NHS is being asked to handle a predicted worst-wave of a major pandemic during its traditionally busiest period. It is going to take every residents' hard work in following guidance to ensure their job doesn't get harder.

Those concerns are also super-charged by the fact that there is a feeling that compliance rates with the law is down compared to the first lockdown. Some headteachers have said they are seeing more than 50 per cent of pupils in daily, owing to the expanded critical worker list.

So, however long this lockdown feels, and however tired we are of the loneliness that comes with coronavirus, it's time for us all to re-double our efforts and stop the spread of this disease.