More than 80 Covid patients were being treated at hospitals in north Essex and east Suffolk, according to latest figures.

The East Suffolk and North Essex Trust, which runs Colchester Hospital, was caring for 87 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 February 22 was down from 92 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 13% in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 100.

Across England there were 8,948 people in hospital with Covid as of February 22, with 284 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by 36 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 43 per cent.

The figures also show that 67 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust in the week to February 20.

This was down from 83 in the previous seven days.

The latest figures come in the same week Covid restrictions were relaxed. 

Boris Johnson delivered his vision for living with coronavirus, including an end to mandatory self-isolation and universal free tests for the general public in England, last Monday.

The official public health advice remains both adults and children testing positive for the virus should stay at home for five days, but this will not be enforced by law.

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