THE number of patients with Covid being treated at hospitals in Herefordshire has jumped by 10 over the last week, figures show.

On December 24, the number of patients with Covid at the WYe Valley NHS Trust had fallen to a four-month low of seven,

The last time there were just seven Covid patients at the trust, which runs Hereford County Hospital, was August 16.

But since then, the number has risen to 25 on Tuesday (January 4), the most recent data available showed.

During the seven days to Tuesday, the number peaked at 26 on Monday.

Visiting is still suspended at hospitals in the county, although rules were partially lifted on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

The latest figures also showed that 30 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Herefordshire in the week to Sunday, January 2.

The week before, that number was four, and a fortnight before it was seven.

The figures, published on the Government website, showed there were no patients in a mechanical ventilation bed on Tuesday, which are used for the most seriously ill.

That was down from one the week before and two a fortnight ago.

But during the week to Tuesday, the number peaked at four on January 2.

But the number of patients in Herefordshire's hospitals remains far below levels seen last winter.

During last winter's peak, the number of patients in hospital with Covid hit 117 on January 19.

Since winter, the most patients at the trust with Covid was on November 1 when there were 35.

Herefordshire Council's public health team said local data showed that during the pandemic those aged 65 and over have accounted for 74 per cent of Covid-19 inpatients, although the proportions have changed over the pandemic.

"April and July 2020, when there were a total of 129 inpatients, all inpatients were aged 65+," the team said.

"October 2020 and March 2021 (664 inpatients) 80 per cent were 65+, 19 per cent were 18-64 and less than one per cent were under 18.

"Between April and July (22 inpatients) 16 per cent were 65+ and 72 per cent aged 18-64

"Since the beginning of August (317 inpatients) 63 per cent were 65+, 33 per cent were 18-64 four per cent were under 18."