People urged to wear masks again amid rise in Covid cases - just days after Manchester hospitals see surge in admissions

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

People have been urged to wear masks again in crowded and enclosed spaces, amid fears that hospitalisations from coronavirus could hit an 18-month high. The warning, which came from senior health official Dame Dr Jenny Harries on Sunday (June 3), came just days after it was reported that Manchester's hospitals were among those seeing a huge influx in positive admissions from the virus.

Dr Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, spoke out on BBC's Sunday Morning show on June 3, informing viewers that the current wave of the virus had not yet peaked, as she urged people to wear masks again, wash their hands more frequently and keep their distance from others.

She added it was 'quite likely' that hospitalisations nationally will rise higher than they did in the previous wave. She encouraged people to 'go about their normal lives in a precautionary way' but admitted she has been carrying mask with her wherever she goes. Health trust chiefs were also warned of a 'bumpy ride' ahead from NHS Providers interim chief executive Saffron Cordery.

READ MORE'Covid is everywhere': Over 400 admitted to Greater Manchester's hospitals in a WEEK as coronavirus cases soar

Hospitalisations have been creeping up again in recent weeks nationally - with the Manchester Evening News previously reporting that more than 400 people were admitted to the city's hospitals in the space of just seven days last week. Top medics from across Manchester warned 'covid is everywhere' and that infection rates did not accurately reflect the scale of the spread in the region.

A total of 470 patients were admitted to Manchester's hospitals with Covid-19 in the week ending June 26 - an 11 per cent rise on the week before. And, a total of 4,963