Covid: NHS hospitals in England with biggest rise in Covid patients as admissions soar by 34%

The number of patients admitted to hospital in England with Covid has risen by 34% in a week amid a new wave of infections driven by the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

While many Covid-positive patients may be admitted because of other conditions, NationalWorld’s analysis shows there has been an equally sharp increase in the number of people in hospital specifically because of the virus.

UK Covid dashboard figures show 9,033 people were admitted to hospitals in England with Covid in the seven days to 29 June, up from 6,733 a week earlier.

That was the highest number of weekly admissions since the seven days ending 24 April.

The figures refer to patients who tested positive in the 14 days prior to their admission, or during their hospital stay.

Separate data from NHS England shows the majority of patients (62%) were not in hospital primarily because of Covid.

However, both the number of patients in hospital primarily because of Covid and those there primarily for another condition but who happened to be infected have both increased at roughly the same rate.

As of 28 June, 2,877 patients were in hospital because of Covid, the NHS data shows, up by 33% in a week. The number in hospital with but not because of Covid stood at 4,796, up by 34% week-on-week.

Even patients not being treated for Covid can put pressure on the NHS, due to the need to segregate beds.

There has also been an increase in the number of people on mechanical ventilators, according to the Covid dashboard, with 219 such patients on 1 July compared to 168 on 24 June –  although the level is still relatively low compared to at other times in the pandemic.

The latest available local data, which covers the week to 26 June, shows 15 NHS trusts saw the number of new Covid admissions more than triple compared to the previous week.

The 20 NHS trusts with the biggest increase for weekly admissions in the week to 26 June compared to the week to 19 June are listed below.

The data includes mental health and community trusts where inpatients have tested positive, as well as acute hospital trusts where patients are treated for Covid.