Hospitals in the UK have been warned that they must clear beds and brace themselves for an upcoming rise in coronavirus cases in the next few weeks.
COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions, and deaths are all on the rise, as shown in the figures that the government revealed on September 18.
There are more than 10 million people who will soon be living under local lockdowns as the North East became the latest to impose restrictions.
Preparing for the next wave
On September 18, 3,395, COVID-19 patients were recorded, which means the rolling seven-day average number of cases has increased 2% in a day and 33% in a week to 3,354.
The increase in cases raises concerns as the UK is moving towards a second peak of the virus. MPs in London have been informed of plans to increase step down beds in the capital, according to The Telegraph.
The beds at the hospitals will be made available to COVID-19 patients who no longer need any hospital treatment but can recover from the virus while isolating.
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The data comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that hospitalizations are doubling every eight days and that the outbreak is accelerating. This means that it is critical that people follow social distancing and lockdown rules.
One MP, who has seen the plans, said that he was told hospitals have reserved beds for those comping out of the hospital and who needs to recover.
At the start of the lockdown, they were having to send people back to care homes or back to other facilities, with consequences.
This is why they have book places in respite care or empty care homes so that people will go out of the hospital but won't return to their normal place of living.
In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Health Secretary Hancock warned that it was critical that people continued to follow the basic rules with regard to coronavirus.
Hancock said that they had seen an acceleration in the number of cases over the last couple of weeks, and they have also seen that the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is increasing every eight days, so they need to take action.
Overwhelming the NHS
Government statistics show that 194 newly-infected patients were admitted to hospitals in England on September 15, compared to just 84 eight days ago and just 38 on August 30. It means that 154 patients are needing care from the NHS every day, which is triple the figure of 52 on September 1.
More than 3,000 people every day were being admitted to NHS hospitals during the peak of the first wave back in April. Data suggests that it would take more than three weeks for daily admissions to the top 2,000.
A top infectious disease expert warned that it is plausible that the doubling rate of every eight days could continue.
Professor Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia said that the number of admissions could surpass the daily rate seen in March and April in just a month.
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