FIFTY York Hospital patients with coronavirus have now died - but York NHS trust bosses say admissions are falling and more than 130 patients have already been discharged.

It has also emerged that another four people died from Covid-19 in their homes in the York area by April 10, with three more dying in care homes in the area.

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said yesterday that a total of 80 coronavirus patients had died at its two hospitals - 50 in York and 30 in Scarborough.

But a spokeswoman said the number of admissions had reduced for two weeks in a row and bed occupancy on a daily basis remained steady.

She said this meant its hospitals were coping well and patients were receiving the care and treatment they needed.

“At the start of the pandemic we put in place robust operational plans which ensures that measures are in place to safely test and treat patients with coronavirus,” she said.

“We are delighted that so far over 130 patients who had been diagnosed with Covid-19 have been discharged from our hospitals.

“Thanks to the care and dedication of our teams, these patients are now back with their loved ones to continue their recovery at home.”

She also said staff wellbeing was a priority for the trust and, through a number of initiatives, it was supporting them to stay emotionally, mentally and physically well at a difficult and challenging time.

“We are proud and thankful for everything they are doing in the face of pressure from the coronavirus pandemic,” she added.

The deaths in the community were revealed yesterday in data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

It said four people with the coronavirus died at home in the City of York Council area in the period up to April 10, and another three died in care homes in the local authority’s area in the same period.

The statistics on coronavirus deaths which are published each day by NHS England only relate to patients dying in hospitals, such as York Hospital and Scarborough Hospital, and so fail to present a full picture of the impact of the disease out in the community.

Care home bosses have told The Press how they are facing a ‘perfect storm’ because of the virus, with some staff going off sick or into isolation, inadequate PPE for staff, and insufficient tests to determine whether or not sick residents have the virus.

Ministers have promised to ramp up testing for social care workers and residents, pledging tests for all those who need them, as well as improving access to vital protective equipment