For the first time since the pandemic struck in Oldham there are no COVID-19 patients being treated on ventilators in hospital.
In a rare ray of light during the crisis, health chiefs have confirmed that none of the people being treated for coronavirus in the borough are hooked up to mechanical ventilators.
Mechanical ventilation is required for some of the most seriously ill patients in intensive care units, when the virus has caused their lungs to fail.
The ventilator takes over the body’s breathing process, pushing air with increased levels of oxygen into the lungs. This gives the patient time to fight off the infection and recover.
Chief operating officer at the clinical commissioning group, Mike Barker said: “There is not one single person in the hospital today on a ventilator who has got COVID-19.
“So there are still people on ventilators but for other problems, and as of today that is the first time since this started we’ve no patients on a ventilator in hospital.
“We’ve still got people needing oxygen and people needing CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) but the most critically ill patients are not there.”
Dr John Patterson, Oldham’s chief clinical officer added: “It’s day 77 since our first case and we have stayed together, we have worked well together and we can say that today is the first day without somebody on a ventilator, which is a huge achievement.”
OIdham has so far had 1,012 confirmed cases of COVID-19, a rate of 429.5 – the highest in Greater Manchester.
But chiefs say the higher numbers reflect an earlier and more comprehensive focus on testing health and care workers, and people in the community.
Katrina Stephens, director of public health, confirmed that there have been 209 recorded deaths from the virus in the borough.
A further 166 people in England who tested positive for COVID-19 have died, NHS England has announced today.
It brings the confirmed coronavirus deaths in English hospitals to 25,080.
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here . And you can follow us on Facebook here .
