THE number of people being treated for the coronavirus in East Lancashire's hospitals has dropped into single figures.

Just eight people were in Blackburn and Burnley's hospitals with the virus as of Tuesday, the latest figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on May 4 was up from six on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 50 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 16.

Across England there were 1,093 people in hospital with Covid as of May 4, with 162 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by 58 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 60 per cent.

The figures also show that 18 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in the week to May 2. This was up from 12 in the previous seven days.