United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust cares for 79 Covid-19 patients in hospital

Orderlies push a bed at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust was caring for 79 coronavirus 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 March 22 was up from 57 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 more than doubled in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 37.

Across England there were 13,060 people in hospital with Covid as of March 22, with 269 of them in mechanical ventilation beds – though none were at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has increased by 46% in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 5%.

The figures also show that 81 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust in the week to March 20. This was up from 70 in the previous seven days.