Doctor returns to work after recovering from coronavirus – and finds his intensive care unit is over capacity and an operating theatre is housing patients on ventilators
- Dr David Hepburn was left aching and bed-ridden after contracting coronavirus
- He has now returned to work Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, South Wales
- But says the Intensive Care Unit is over capacity and operating theatres are used for patients on ventilators
- Wales has seen 117 deaths and 2,121 cases – mostly in Aneurin Bevan health board
A doctor has returned to work after suffering with coronavirus – but warned his intensive care unit is over capacity.
Dr David Hepburn described being wiped out by the killer virus and sleeping for 18 hours a day in a video posted last week.
But the intensive care consultant has now returned to work at Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, South Wales and warned that the intensive care unit is already over capacity.
He said: ‘It’s great to be back, it’s great to feel better. I’m really pleased to be able to treat patients again.
‘It looks like we’re going to have a very busy few months at the minute.
‘We’ve got over 16 patients in intensive care, our normal capacity would be 13 ventilated patients.
‘We’ve gone into the operating theatres now so we’ve got another three ventilated patients there.’
Dr David Hepburn has returned to the frontline at Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, South Wales after being struck down by the virus and then recovering
Dr David Hepburn had been struck down by the virus earlier on in the pandemic, saying it had ‘started off very innocuously’ with symptoms including a ‘burning sensation in my nose’ and losing the sense of taste.
‘I never had a cough – and then I’ve just had a week of feeling absolutely terrible.
‘Aching muscles, aching bones, and unable to get out of bed. Sleeping 16-18 hours a day.
Last week Dr Hepburn pleaded with the British public to follow the government’s self-isolation and social-distancing advice.
But the consultant has warned that Royal Gwent’s intensive care unit is already over capacity, with some patients being moved into operating theatres
He said: ‘This is a small sacrifice for a short period of time and then life will get back to normal again but we have to protect everybody and we have to protect the NHS.’
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has seen the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in the UK outside of London.
First Minister Mark Drakeford told how a medic at the hospital had spread the virus unknowingly between staff leading to several infections.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has seen the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in the UK outside of London. Pictured: A patient is lifted into an ambulance by paramedics in Euston, London
Public Health Wales today confirmed that 19 more people in Wales have died after testing positive for coronavirus, taking the total number to 117.
Incident director Robin Howe there were 284 confirmed new cases, bringing the total number for Wales to 2,121.
Earlier this week it was reported that doctors and nurses were being ‘gagged’ and could face the sack if they spoke out over conditions on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of the GMB Union, as well as Doctors’ Association UK have warned NHS staff ‘should not be gagged’ after reports were published of staff being ordered not to speak to the media over concerns about personal protective equipment.
The British Medical Association says staff face ‘life-threatening shortages’ of protective equipment as they work with Covid-19 patients round the clock.
Some doctors have described how kit is being ‘hidden’ by desperate staff, while others have described how they feel as though it is ‘inevitable’ they will get sick.
GMB organiser Helen O’Connor said: ‘It is scandalous that hospital staff who are speaking out publicly because government and NHS trusts are failing them and patients will now be lined up to be sacked by ruthless NHS bosses, who do not want failings in their leadership to be exposed.’
Source: Read Full Article