Coronavirus: London's NHS Nightingale 'largely empty' and ‘only had 19 patients’ over Easter

London’s new NHS Nightingale Hospital saw just 19 patients treated for coronavirus over the Easter weekend, according to reports.

The 4,000-bed facility, opened at the ExCel conference centre on 3 April, was speedily set up to treat COVID-19 patients and ease the burden on the NHS.

According to data from the Health Service Journal, the hospital remained largely empty over the Easter weekend.

The publication said the low number was in part down to tight criteria agreed for patients to be admitted there.

It also said the data suggested that hospitals across England have so far been able to cope with the surge in demand.

An NHS England spokesperson would not confirm the figure but told Yahoo News UK: "The good news is that NHS hospitals have continued to free-up capacity to look after all coronavirus patients who need our care, and it is incredibly reassuring for both staff and patients to have backup capacity at the Nightingale should it be needed in the months to come.

“NHS Nightingale London started admitting patients last week and will help to alleviate the pressure on ICU departments across London when needed.”

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The Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England said they would not yet comment on whether the figures suggested the government’s strategy in tackling coronavirus was working, and pointed Yahoo News UK to NHS England.

A spokesperson for NHS England told Yahoo News UK they would not comment further on the quoted number.

Split into more than 80 wards containing 42 beds each, the Nightingale is one of the biggest hospitals in the world, according to its chief operating officer Natalie Forrest.

Coronavirus patients who are transferred to the hospital will already be on a ventilator and will remain at the Nightingale until their course of ventilation is finished.

Six other NHS Nightingale Hospitals have been announced so far – in Tyne and Wear, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Harrogate and Exeter.

Martin Wilson, chief operating officer for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the new 460-bed Nightingale being built in Tyne and Wear will not need to open if people maintain social distancing rules.

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