Somerset Trust was caring for 70 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Wednesday, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on October 12 was up from 43 on the same day the previous week.

There were 21 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

Across England there were 10,608 people in hospital with Covid as of October 12, with 221 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has more than doubled in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 58%.

The figures also show that 62 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Somerset NHS Foundation Trust in the week to October 10. This was up from 44 in the previous seven days.