Army drafted into Greater Manchester from today to help with Covid-19 testing in 'biggest homeland operation in peacetime'

direct to your inboxAnother 17 people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for Covid-19.It means the region's hospital death toll now stands at 4,774.In the last 24 hours a further five deaths were recorded at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and four more people died at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust.A further three deaths were reported at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust and two people died at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.Manchester University

direct to your inboxThe Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital is to open emergency Covid beds for adults in a sign of the unprecedented pressure facing Greater Manchester’s hospitals.Sir Richard Leese, the region’s health chief, said the situation in the system was now ‘critical’ as NHS bosses have scrambled to discharge as many people as possible ahead of a sustained peak over the coming three weeks.Crisis meetings have been held to determine the ability to scale up beds, as Salford Royal and

direct to your inboxYasmin Qureshi comes across as nothing if not stoic.Even now, months after being discharged from Royal Bolton hospital, her voice is still sometimes breathy; the aftermath of her lungs being battered by coronavirus and accompanying pneumonia. Nonetheless, the MP for Bolton South East seems so calm about it that it would be easy to underestimate the severity of her experiences, like those of so many of her constituents.In the midst of her time in hospital, it is the moments of

direct to your inboxThe NHS has sadly confirmed the deaths of 29 more patients in hospitals in Greater Manchester who had tested positive for Covid-19.The region's hospital death toll now stands at 4,757.NHS bosses said on Friday a further 993 people who tested positive for the virus have died in hospitals across England.It brings the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 65,104.In the north west, a further 94 hospital deaths were reported, the NHS said on Friday.A

direct to your inboxA further 27 people have died in hospitals in Greater Manchester after testing positive for coronavirus.The region's hospital death toll has now reached 4,731, the latest NHS figures show. A total of 99 Covid-related deaths were recorded across North West hospitals in the latest 24-hour data.

direct to your inboxTwenty-seven more people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.The region's hospital death toll has now reached 4,645, the latest NHS figures show.Nine more deaths have been recorded at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.The trust's figures include those for North Manchester General, the Royal Oldham, Fairfield General and Rochdale Infirmary.Eight further deaths were confirmed by Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation

direct to your inboxThirty-five more people have died Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.The region's hospital death toll has now reached 4,560, the latest NHS data shows.Sixteen more deaths were recorded at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust; the organisation in charge of the Manchester Royal Infirmary and Wythenshawe Hospital.Meanwhile, six more deaths were recorded at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, five at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and three at

direct to your inboxA further 21 people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after contracting coronavirus.The region's hospital death toll has risen to 4,525, the latest NHS figures show.Ten people died after testing positive for the virus at Stepping Hill Hospital, which is run by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust recorded five deaths each.One more coronavirus-related death was recorded at Salford

direct to your inboxA flood 'alert' has been put in force in Greater Manchester today after hours of heavy rainfall overnight.The alert warns of 'possible' flooding around the area of the middle River Mersey catchment area.It includes areas near Bramhall in Stockport, Sale, Altrincham and Urmston.The Environment Agency warned: "Flooding is possible - be prepared."And Transport for Greater Manchester said: "With heavy rain in Greater Manchester this morning, expect flooding in some areas.

direct to your inboxHospitals across Greater Manchester have begun postponing cancer operations as fears grow that the region could run out of intensive care beds.Some cancer surgery has already been cancelled at the last minute due to a lack of critical care beds, while more broadly trusts are beginning the process of rescheduling cancer operations not deemed to be the most urgent.The move comes amid expectations of a ‘very scary’ surge in admissions from Monday, according to one senior doctor

direct to your inboxA further 22 people have sadly died in Greater Manchester hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus, the NHS said today.The latest figures include eight more deaths at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust.It brings the total of hospital deaths in Greater Manchester to 4,357.Nationally, the NHS said on Thursday 661 more people have died in hospitals in England.In a statement today, the NHS said: "A further 661 people, who tested positive for the

direct to your inboxThirteen more people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.The region's hospital death toll has now reached 4,328, the latest NHS figures show.Six more deaths have been recorded at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in the last 24 hours.Meanwhile, Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust recorded two more deaths each.Health

direct to your inboxHealth leaders are planning for a third Covid peak in Greater Manchester hospitals within 10 to 14 days, with bed demand now the same as the end of October.Figures obtained by the M.E.N. show there are now 1,041 people with Covid in hospitals here, a 21pc rise in three weeks, with 119 of those in ICU or high dependency units.The numbers are where they were at the very end of October into the start of November, a fortnight before the second wave peaked.

direct to your inboxA Greater Manchester Police officer who repeatedly sexually assaulted a young girl has been jailed.Farooq Ahmed, 37, walked into a police station with a confession note before Christmas.

Salford flat on September 14. The 23-year-old said he was unhappy in his retail job in the weeks leading up to his death. His mother urged him to go home to Plymouth so she could help 'bring him out of the darkness he was suffering'. Tragically, he was found hanged just weeks later.  An inquest into Mr Kelly's death was held at  Bolton Coroners' Court  by area coroner Alan Walsh today (January 5).

direct to your inboxA further 14 people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.It brings the total death toll in the region to 4,272.Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust recorded eleven more deaths.Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust registered another death while there were two more recorded at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.Earlier today it was revealed dialysis patient Brian Pinker received his jab of the Oxford vaccine at

direct to your inboxA further 13 people have died in Greater Manchester's hospitals after testing positive for coronavirus.It brings the total death toll in the region to 4,258.Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust recorded three further deaths.Both Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust recorded a further five deaths.The total number of coronavirus deaths at hospital trusts in Greater Manchester, as of January 3, are:Bolton NHS Foundation Trust -

direct to your inboxFour more people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Greater Manchester's hospitals.It brings the total number of deaths in the region's hospitals to 4,245.Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust recorded further two deaths in the last 24 hours.Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust each reported one death.The total number of coronavirus deaths at hospital trusts in Greater Manchester, as of January 2, are:B

direct to your inboxThe streets were empty as Greater Manchester said goodbye to 2020 and ushered in a new year - but many were determined to keep alive at least one tradition.Our video from Werneth Low shows how many parts of Greater Manchester were ablaze with colour as people set off fireworks at midnight to celebrate the arrival of 2021.Around 200 socially distanced people gathered on the popular spot to watch the moment our region said goodbye to 2020 and ushered in the New Year.Car horns