MORE than 20 coronavirus patients were being cared for in Herefordshire hospitals in the past week, NHS England figures show.

The data shows that 24 people were being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on November 10, down from 26 on the same day the previous week.

There were five beds occupied by coronavirus patients four weeks ago in Wye Valley NHS Trust.

Across England there were 12,033 people in hospital with Covid as of November 10, with 1,010 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

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The numbers of Covid-19 patients being hospitalised and those on mechanical ventilators have more than doubled in the last four weeks across England.

The figures also show that 11 new coronavirus patients were admitted to hospital in Wye Valley NHS Trust in the week to November 8. This was up from 10 in the previous seven days.

The Government has implemented a second lockdown for England, which is due to be in place until December 2.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said four weeks should be enough to drive down the spread of coronavirus so the severe restrictions can be eased.

Mass testing trials are due to start in 67 selected areas across England, as part of plans to expand asymptomatic testing for Covid-19.