Covid hospitalisations soar by 37% in a week to worst level in months

Medical chief says figures concerning as more outbreaks being reported and rising in hospitals

Numbers of people having to go into hospital with Covid-19 in England are at their highest level in months, health chiefs say.

The total rose by 37 per cent in the past week, goverment figures show – fresh evidence of a new wave of infections.

A total of 9,631 people with coronavirus were in hospital as of 8am on Wednesday, according to NHS England – the highest figure since 3 August.

Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser of the UK Health Security Agency, said: “This week’s data shows further concerning increases in Covid-19 cases and hospitalisation rates, which are now at their highest level in months.

“Outbreaks in hospitals and care homes are also on the rise.”

And more suspected outbreaks were being reported, she said.

Numbers of “acute respiratory incidents” increased on last week too, the latest official report shows.

Patient numbers hit a high of 14,000 in mid-July at the peak of the wave of infections caused by the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of the virus, then fell steadily until mid-September.

But numbers have risen in recent weeks, suggesting Covid-19 is once again becoming more prevalent, with mask-wearing having tailed off.

The latest figures show all regions are recording a steady rise in patients, with three regions back to levels last seen in late July.

Southwest England has 1,003 patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, not far below its peak during the BA.4 or BA.5 wave of 1,229.

Southeast England has 1,553 patients, close to its summer peak of 1,985, while eastern England has 1,064, compared with a summer peak of 1,432.

All numbers remain well below those reached during the early waves of the pandemic, however.

All people aged 65 and over are currently eligible for a booster vaccine, providing they had their last jab at least three months ago.

Doses are also available to frontline health and care workers, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

The booster, intended to increase protection against serious illness during the next waves of the virus, will eventually be offered to everyone aged 50 and over.

A study this week showed over-65s who have had Covid are 80 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s within a year of being infected.

The number of people in private households testing positive for coronavirus in the week to 17 September was 857,400, or about one in 65 – up from 766,500, or one in 70, in the seven days to September 14.

Infections in England peaked at 3.1 million during the summer BA.4/BA.5 wave.