THE number of patients being treated in hospital for Covid-19 in mid and south Essex dipped in the run-up to Christmas.

The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust was caring for 43 patients with coronavirus in hospital as of December 17, latest figures show.

That was down from 58 on the same day the previous week.

Just one new patient with Covid was admitted to hospital at the trust in the week to December 15.

Across England there were 3,390 people in hospital with Covid as of December 17.

Nationally, the number of hospital patients with coronavirus has increased by 38 per cent in the last four weeks.

The East Suffolk and North Essex Trust, which runs Colchester and Ipswich hospitals, was caring for 79 patients with coronavirus in hospital as of December 17.

That was up significantly from 42 on the same day the previous week - a rise of 88 per cent.