THE University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) was caring for 161 Coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday, NHS England figures show

The data shows that the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on November 17 was up from 158 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at UHMBT occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 75 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 92.

Across England, there were 14,411 people in hospital with Covid as of November 17, with 1,228 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The numbers of Covid-19 patients being hospitalised and those on mechanical ventilators have more than doubled in the last four weeks across England.

The figures also show that 55 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in UHMBT in the week to November 15. This was up from 42 in the previous seven days.

The Government has implemented a second lockdown for England, which is due to be in place until December 2.

With trials for new vaccines showing promise, preparations are starting for mass vaccination centres to be set up across the country.