Number of Covid patients in Staffordshire and Black Country hospitals almost halves in a month

In the last month, the number has dropped from 574 to 297, although council chiefs are still urging people to take caution.

NHS England data shows The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust was caring for 21 coronavirus patients in hospital on February 22, which fell from 108 four weeks earlier.

In the same time-frame the number fell from 65 to 39 at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust; 154 to 76 at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust; 79 to 46 at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust and 168 to 115 at University Hospitals Of North Midlands NHS Trust.

During a Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust board meeting on Wednesday, members were told the number had fallen even further since, and visiting restrictions have been lifted.

Liam Kennedy, chief operating officer, said: "The community infection rate has reduced significantly – we've seen that reduction over the last few weeks and that's allowed us to plan for a 'reset' programme for our wards and emergency departments.

"Visiting has re-commenced as of Wednesday. We've also got an update where over 85.8 per cent of staff have been fully vaccinated and over 90.6 per cent have been partially vaccinated."

Mr Kennedy added that the number of Covid inpatients was at 66 as of Wednesday and the number was "decreasing steadily" as virus rates continue to fall.

Frieza Mahmood, chief people officer at the trust which runs Birmingham City Hospital and Sandwell General Hospital, said the condition of employment regarding the vaccine, put forward by the Government, is set to be revoked from March 15 – but leaders at the trust are still encouraging people to get jabbed.

She added: "There's only been 38 staff who've we had a clear refusal [to come forward regarding vaccine status] which we're trying to manage sensitively."

A report to board members said: "Over the next few weeks we will be reducing our expansion areas opened for winter, switch our red wards back to amber and return the surgical bed base back to pre-Covid numbers."

Jo-Anne Wass, associate non-executive director, said the trust needed to continue to push the message of vaccination and need to be "crystal clear" about the benefits, especially in case a new variant emerges.

Meanwhile, council chiefs have urged people to stay cautious as Covid has not gone away.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, Wolverhampton Council's cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: "The legal lifting of restrictions is very welcome news for a nation which has made tremendous sacrifices over the last two years.

"However, we must proceed with caution as we enter this new phase of trying to live safely with Covid-19 because, let's be very clear, the virus hasn't gone away – and is likely to be with us for a long time to come.

“Infection rates in Wolverhampton are falling and that's because people are acting responsibly, as they have throughout the pandemic.

“Now we're asking residents to continue to do the right thing, and to look out for each other, particularly those who are more vulnerable."