Drop in Covid cases and number of patients on ventilators across London

The London Assembly revealed today that Covid-19 positive cases and the number of patients on ventilators has decreased in the capital.

On Saturday there were 5,918 Covid-19 patients in London hospitals – a decrease from the previous week (January 23) that saw 7,044 patients hospitalised.

There has also been a decrease in the number of patients on mechanical ventilation beds in London Hospitals, with 1,139 on ventilators this week compared to 1,217 on January 23.

The daily number of people testing positive for the virus in London was 3,002 as of yesterday – bringing the total number of Covid-19 cases reported up to 31 January 2021, in London, to 652,979 people.

This news comes as it has been suggested that the UK variant of coronavirus may have already spread into South London by the time it was discovered.

London will continue to stay in the national lockdown with the rest of the UK – with restrictions expected to be reviewed by the Government at a later stage.

On January 31 it was announced that 67 people had died in London hospitals following a positive test, making the total number up to that date 12,773.

From January 20 – 26, 33,904 people tested positive in London, a rate of 378 cases per 100,000 population.

This is a decrease from the 53,280 cases and a rate of 595 from the previous week.

London’s Metropolitan Police have also stepped up their enforcement of the rules in a bid to force Londoners to stay home.

Fines for any illegal gathering of two or more people start at £200 for a first offence but rise to £10,000 fines for organisers of gatherings of over 30 people.

Anyone who attends a party or other illegal indoor gathering of more than 15 people risks being fined £800, following new legislation introduced last week.

Figures published on Thursday showed that the total number of fines issued by the Met throughout the pandemic increased by nearly 80 per cent in just four weeks during December and January.

Commander Alex Murray, the Met’s lead for Covid-19 enforcement, said: “I hope that these increased fines will discourage some of the events we’ve seen in recent weeks – events which are no doubt adding to the already huge pressure on our health services and potentially leading to avoidable deaths.

“Our officers are moving much more quickly to issuing fines because there is simply no excuse for some of the blatant, dangerous and wilful breaches that have been taking place while our city is at such a critical point of this pandemic. That swift enforcement approach will continue.”