The total number of Covid patients in English hospitals has climbed to 10,608 as of October 12, the highest figure since July. Weekly hospital admissions have doubled in three weeks, the NHS figures show. And the number of patients on ventilators is also climbing. On October 11, there were 224 patients on ventilators, the highest figure since August 9.

Across Yorkshire, almost every NHS Trust is seeing rising numbers of people attending hospitals with Covid-19. Comparing the number of patients admitted where patient known to have COVID-19 – plus patients diagnosed in hospital with COVID-19 – from week commencing Sep 6 to week commencing Oct 4 makes for worrying reading.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has a sharp rise, from 53 people to 178, making it the highest in Yorkshire. Leeds is second with 148 up from 50. The Mid Yorkshire Trust is next on the list, with 146 people, up from 40 people a month ago. Doncaster and Bassetlaw is close behing, going from 26 to 109.

Speaking last week, Dr Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said Covid-19 cases and hospitalisation rates were “at their highest level in months”.

She said: “Outbreaks in hospitals and care homes are also on the rise. Make sure you have any Covid-19 vaccinations you are eligible for and avoid contact with others if you feel unwell or have symptoms of a respiratory infection.

“If you are unwell, it is particularly important to avoid contact with elderly people or those who are more likely to have severe disease because of their ongoing health conditions. If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, wearing a face covering will also help stop infections spreading.”

The Omicron subvariant BA.5 is still the dominant variant of Covid in the UK, according to the UKHSA, but three other subvariants, BQ.X, BA.2.75.2, and BF.7, seem to be gaining ground. An estimated one in 50 people in England and Wales have Covid-19, according to the latest modelling released on Friday, October 7, by the Office for National Statistics. The figure is even higher in Scotland, at one in 45, and Northern Ireland, at one in 40.

Below are the figures for every NHS Trust in Yorkshire from w/c Sep 6 to w/c Oct 4:

Bradford Teaching Hospitals – Up to 54 from 13

York and Scarborough – Up to 81 from 45

Harrogate and District – Down to 24 from 26

Airedale – Up to 57 from 30

Sheffield Children’s – Up to six from two

Barnsley – Up to 29 from 16

Rotherham – Up to 24 from 11

Leeds and York Partnership – Up to eight from two

Sheffield – Up to 178 from 53

Doncaster and Bassetlaw – Up to 109 from 26

Leeds Teaching Hospitals – Up to 148 from 50

Hull Teaching Hospitals – Up to 53 from 29

Calderdale and Huddersfield – Up to 83 from 19

Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber – Up to 10 from none

Mid Yorkshire – Up to 146 from 40

Covid-19 cases in Yorkshire: Every area of Yorkshire is seeing higher numbers of people in hospital with Covid-19, figures show