THE boss of the Countess of Chester hospital says she is ‘pleading’ with residents to follow Covid-19 rules due to sustained pressure on the NHS.

Dr Susan Gilby, in a video posted on the Countess’ NHS Trust Twitter account, revealed that her staff were now treating almost triple the number of patients for coronavirus than the first-wave peak last year.

The Chief Executive also said that such were the demands on NHS facilities, paediatric staff were being re-deployed to care for adults — a first in her near-30 year career.

Dr Gilby said: “Over 270 patients are requiring care in beds in our hospital as a result of Covid-19 disease.

“That is 180 per cent more than required our help in the first wave of the pandemic.

“We have moved whole surgical services out of the Trust and into other hospitals in Liverpool.

“We are currently unable to staff these wards without the support of our paediatric nurses and doctors who normally only look after children.

“I have never in my 29 year career in medicine seen a situation where we have had to ask children’s nurses to care for the elderley.

“Please, we want to be here for you when you need us, we are here, we will find a way to look after you.

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“In the meantime while we roll out the vaccination programme, which we are doing with tremendous success, I am pleading with you — please follow the rules.”

The latest infection rate data for Cheshire West shows the borough has a 7-day average of 462.3 cases per 100,000 residents.