You can unsubscribe at any time.Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy noticeThe number of Covid 19 patients in our local hospitals has fallen from more than 700 to 522 in just two weeks.Nevertheless, there are more inpatients at Royal Derby Hospital, Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Queen’s Hospital, in Burton, than during the first wave of coronavirus.Gavin Boyle, chief executive at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB), described this reduction as “light at the end of the tunnel”.Exhausted staff at all of our hospitals are still treating many more Covid patients than they saw during the first wave between spring and autumn last year.Once the number of Covid inpatients reduces, our health services will then have to get to grips with the thousands of patients who have been unable to undergo surgery and treatment due to the resources being used to fight the pandemic.As of Tuesday, February 9, Royal Derby Hospital was treating 258 Covid 19 patients. This is a large reduction from 328 last week and a peak of 388 in mid January.However, the 258 patients at Royal Derby represent more Covid 19 patients than the combined University Hospitals of Derby and Burton Trust saw during the peak of the first wave.Royal Derby had peaked at around 160 patients during the first wave of the pandemic.Royal Derby staff are treating 17 patients with the virus in intensive care, which is down from 21 last week. Its all time high was near 30 Covid patients in ICU in early April.It is highly unusual for an ICU to see so many patients with one illness all needing care at the same time though this number has been limited by improved treatments and understanding of the virus.There are currently 144 Covid 19 patients at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, down from 167 last week and a peak of nearly 200 towards the end of January.It had peaked at 75 Covid patients during the first wave, around half the current level.Chesterfield Royal staff are treating 12 Covid 19 patients in intensive care, down from 14 last week, peaking at 17 in the first wave.NewsallMost ReadMost RecentPeak DistrictCovidiots drive 150 miles to Derbyshire ‘because lockdown is boring’ Cops fine them and seize their carLive updates as A38 could be closed ‘most of the night’ after crashA38Emergency services have been called to the sceneDreadlocked man ‘stupidly’ travelled from Derbyshire for illegal raveCoronavirusHe broke Government guidelines10 years in prison and huge fines for breaking new travel rulesUK World NewsMatt Hancock said the UK must “strengthen our defences yet further”.Two teens stabbed and another injured in Derbyshire villageDerbyshire PoliceThe incident happened on Monday, February 8A38Live updates as A38 could be closed ‘most of the night’ after crashEmergency services have been called to the sceneDreadlocked man ‘stupidly’ travelled from Derbyshire for illegal raveCoronavirusHe broke Government guidelines.