The number of people in hopsital with Covid-19 in south and mid Essex has more than doubled in the space of a week. 

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals stood at 34 as of Tuesday (July 13).

This was up from 16 on the same day the previous week and is the highest number recorded since late April.

There were two beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

None of the current 34 patients in hospital are being treated on a ventilator, NHS figures show.

Across England there were 2,970 people in hospital with Covid as of July 13, with 470 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally nearly trebled in the last four weeks, and the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 151%.

The figures also show that 35 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in the week to July 11.

This was up from 13 in the previous seven days.

The number of patients in hospital in mid and south Essex with Covid remains considerably less than the numbers recorded at the height of the second wave in January. 

More than 900 people were being treated for the virus at the three hospitals as of January 8.