THE Wye Valley NHS Trust was caring for 44 Covid patients in hospital as of Tuesday, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on April 5 was up from 31 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Wye Valley NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 more than doubled in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 15.

Across England there were 16,552 people in hospital with Covid as of April 5, with 319 of them in mechanical ventilation beds – including one at Wye Valley NHS Trust.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has increased by 80 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 32 per cent.

The figures also show that 45 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Wye Valley NHS Trust in the week to April 3. This was up from 23 in the previous seven days.

The trust, which runs Hereford County Hospital, had previously said most patients with Covid were being admitted due to other reasons.