East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust was caring for 38 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 September 28 was up from 32 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 increased by 27 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 30.

Across England there were 5,126 people in hospital with Covid as of September 28, with 681 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by 19 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 23 per cent.

The figures also show that 38 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust in the week to September 26. This was up from 34 in the previous seven days.