More than 100 Covid patients are being cared for by the trust running Southampton's main hospital, new figures show. 

University Hospital Southampton Trust was caring for 129 coronavirus patients as of Tuesday.

According to NHS England data, the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on July 5 was up from 104 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Southampton General Hospital occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 more than doubled in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 64.

Across England there were 11,049 people in hospital with Covid as of July 5, with 229 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 97 per cent.

The figures also show that 111 new Covid patients were admitted to Southampton General Hospital in the week to July 3.

This was up from 87 in the previous seven days.

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