A hospital trust was caring for 89 coronavirus patients in hospital as of last week, NHS England figures show.

The data shows that the number of people being treated in hospital by West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust for Covid-19 by 8am on November 24 was up from 68 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at the trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 more than doubled in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 36.

Across England there were 14,506 people in hospital with Covid as of November 24, with 1,306 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The numbers of Covid-19 patients being hospitalised have increased by 69 per cent, while those on mechanical ventilators have increased by 76 per cent in the last four weeks across England.

The figures also show that 65 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust in the week to November 22. This was up from 48 in the previous seven days.