Only One Coronavirus Patient Lost at The Royal Surrey Last Week

Published on: 27 May, 2020
Updated on: 28 May, 2020

Only one patient died while suffering from Covid-19 at the Royal Surrey County Hospital last week (ending May 25), the lowest weekly total since the first Coronavirus deaths at the hospital in mid-March. And the Royal Surrey continues to have the lowest cumulative number of deaths among Surrey hospitals, but many different factors can affect hospital death rates.

Table showing the total deaths recorded at Surrey hospital trusts (these can include satellite hospitals) and, for comparison, some of the nearby trusts in neighbouring counties and authorities. The Royal Surrey in Guildford has seen the fewest deaths in Surrey. It is not known if all hospitals are using precisely the same criteria when recording Covid associated deaths and it is generally agreed that other deaths in care homes and in the community represent a significant additional number.

While the number of deaths continued to fall the number of new, confirmed infections in Guildford Borough rose from five to 12 and in Surrey from 56 to 84. The higher numbers might simply be the result of an increase in the number of tests being carried out but despite enquiries, Surrey County Council and the Department for Health and Social Care have not answered questions on the operation of the Covid testing centre in Guildford.

Statistics for new infections in Guildford Borough have only been available from the week ending May 11.

There have been 374 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Guildford Borough (as at May 25) at a rate of 253 per 100,000 population and average infection rate compared with other Surrey boroughs. But this is only confirmed cases and it is generally accepted that there will be many more where testing was not possible or where those infected suffered no or only mild symptoms.