UNIVERSITY Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay Trust was caring for 146 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 January 11 was up from 102 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 more than tripled in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 42.

Across England there were 16,939 people in hospital with Covid as of January 11, with 686 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally more than doubled in the last four weeks, however the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 14%.

The figures also show that 159 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in the week to January 9. This was up from 101 in the previous seven days.