Hope as more beat the virus than die from it at Preston and Chorley hospitals

A milestone 200 people have been discharged from hospital in Preston and Chorley after beating the coronavirus.
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The number of patients sent home after conquering the disease is more than double the number who have died from the disease – which yesterday stood at 86.

It will give families hope that a diagnosis – or hospitalisation – is not the end of the road for most, with our NHS heroes praised for their efforts.

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“Thank you to all of our incredible staff for making this happen,” a spokesman for the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley Hospital, said.

Royal Preston HospitalRoyal Preston Hospital
Royal Preston Hospital

Twitter users were quick to respond. Desi Taylor said: “I be this doesn’t get on national TV. Well done, people.”

And Dave Johnson-Walford said: “Brilliant news. Well done, Chorley and Royal Preston.”

User Rose P added: “Well done. [It’s] great to have good news for a change.”

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Meanwhile, medics fighting on the frontline were given a boost after a study found infection rates among NHS workers tested for Covid-19 were no higher for those treating patients face-to-face than for staff in non-clinical roles.

The research, published in the respected Lancet medical journal, found rates of infection of 15.4 per cent among directly patient-facing staff, 16.3 per cent among those non-patient facing but in roles with a higher risk, and 18.4 per cent among non-clinical staff.

The Government is also to launch a new study tracking Covid-19 in the population to try and understand the current rate of infection, and how many people have developed antibodies to the virus.

Some 20,000 households in England are being contacted to take part in the first wave of the research, with initial findings expected next month.

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All participants will give a nose and throat swab to test whether they have the virus, while adults in 1,000 of the households will provide a blood sample to test for antibodies, which could indicate immunity.

Antibody testing is considered crucial to escaping lockdown.