THE number of coronavirus patients being treated at Herefordshire's hospital remains at one of the highest levels since March, latest figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated for Covid-19 at Wye Valley NHS Trust hospitals had risen to 11 by 8am on Tuesday, August 10.

That was up from 10 the same day the previous week, but down from 14 on Saturday, August 7 – this was the highest number seen since February 26.

Five weeks ago there was just one Covid patient being treated at the trust, which runs Herefordshire County Hospital.

As of Tuesday, two patients were in mechanical ventilation beds, those used by the most seriously ill Covid patients – the same number as the week before.

Across England there were 5,096 people in hospital with Covid as of August 10, with 782 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally fell from 5,116 the week before, but more are in ventilation beds, the NHS England data showed.

The figures also show that 17 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Wye Valley NHS Trust in the week to August 8. This was up from 10 the week before.

No deaths have been reported recently, with the latest coronavirus-related death toll standing at 230.