Somerset Trust was caring for 96 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 December 21 was up from 65 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 more than tripled in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 28.

Across England there were 8,643 people in hospital with Covid as of December 21, with 174 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has increased by 88% in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 49%.

The figures also show that 104 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Somerset NHS Foundation Trust in the week to December 19. This was up from 78 in the previous seven days.