Covid hospital cases: 15 worst hit NHS hospitals as admissions rise 33% in England

Covid hospital admissions continued to soar across England in the latest week, rising by 33% as the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants continued to drive a new wave of infections.

UK government coronavirus  figures show 11,028 patients were admitted to hospital with Covid in the seven days to 4 July, up from 8,295 in the week to 27 June.

That was the first time weekly admissions have risen above 11,000 since 18 April.

The latest local data shows some 14 acute hospital trusts saw admissions more than double in the week to 3 July, as did 14 mental health, learning disability and community trusts – although patients in the latter group are unlikely to be in hospital because of the virus.

Patients who test positive in the 14 days prior to admission or after they have been admitted are included in the figures, whether they are being treated primarily for Covid or not.

The latest rise in admissions comes as new Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal an estimated 2.7 million people in the UK (one in 25) had Covid in the week to June 29, an increase of 18% on the week before.

That continues a sustained period of rapidly rising infections.

The ONS data is based on random sampling of households across the UK, and is considered the most accurate measure of infection. It has been unaffected by the end of free mass testing for the public.

NationalWorld has analysed the latest government data to find the NHS trusts with the biggest percentage increase in Covid patients in the week to 3 July.

We have excluded mental health, learning disability and community trusts, some of which have had very high percentage increases but low numbers of patients.