Dorset County Hospital Trust was caring for eight 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 November 30 was up from two on the same day the previous week.

There were 28 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Meanwhile, Dorset Healthcare University Trust was also caring for eight coronavirus patients and University Hospitals Dorset Trust was caring for 24 coronavirus patients.

Across England there were 4,964 people in hospital with Covid as of November 30, with 128 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by 32 per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 27 per cent.

The figures also show that 10 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in the week to November 28. This was up from seven in the previous seven days.