LATEST NHS figures show that 269 coronavirus patients were being cared for in Dorset hospitals this week.

Dorset County Hospital Trust was caring for 45 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday according to the latest data from NHS England.

The figures show that the number of people being treated at DCH for Covid-19 by 8am on Tuesday February 9 was down from 61 on the same day the previous week.

And the number of beds at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 43 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 79.

The figures also show that 31 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in the week to February 7. This was down from 36 in the previous seven days.

January saw the highest number of patients in hospital with Covid across Dorset County Hospital Trust, since records began on March 19.

There were 241 coronavirus patients in hospital during that month – 57 per cent out of a total of 421 between the start of the pandemic and the end of January.

In August the trust did not record any coronavirus patients in hospital.

Meanwhile, University Hospitals Dorset Trust was caring for 191 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on Tuesday February 9 was down from 290 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 42 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 330.

The figures also show that 137 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust in the week to February 7. This was down from 200 in the previous seven days.

January saw the highest number of patients in hospital with Covid across University Hospitals Dorset Trust, since records began on March 19.

There were 1,246 coronavirus patients in hospital during that month – 52 per cent out of a total of 2,400 between the start of the pandemic and the end of January.

In August the trust recorded the lowest number of coronavirus patients between the start of the pandemic and the end of January – one.

And elsewhere, Dorset Healthcare University Trust was caring for 33 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on February 9 was down from 35 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 23 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 43.

The figures also show that 26 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust in the week to February 7. This was up from 22 in the previous seven days.

January saw the highest number of patients in hospital with Covid across Dorset Healthcare University Trust, since records began on March 19.

There were 162 coronavirus patients in hospital during that month – 39 per cent out of a total of 417 between the start of the pandemic and the end of January.

In August the trust did not record any coronavirus patients in hospital.

Across England there were 22,067 people in hospital with Covid as of February 9, with 2,911 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital has decreased by 31 per cent nationally in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by eight per cent.

In January, a record number of 102,316 Covid patients were being cared for in hospital across England – 30 per cent of the total 343,228 patients since the start of the pandemic.