THE Mid and South Essex NHS Trust was caring for 52 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday, figures show.

NHS figures show the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on October 5 was down from 63 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at the trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 44 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago there were 93.

Across England there were 5,006 people in hospital with Covid as of October 5, with 661 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has dropped by 20 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 25 per cent.

The figures also show that 48 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in the Mid and South Essex Trust in the week to October 3 – down from 60 in the previous seven days.

East Suffolk and North Essex Trust, which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, was caring for 24 coronavirus patients in hospital on Tuesday – in line with the same day the previous week.