HOSPITALS in Herefordshire are still caring for more than 40 patients with coronavirus, latest figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on April 19 was 41.

That was down slightly on 43 at the same time the week before.

But the number of beds occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 at theWye Valley NHS Trust, which runs Hereford County Hospital, was up by nine on 28 days ago.

Across England there were 14,607 people in hospital with Covid as of April 19, with 296 of them in mechanical ventilation beds – including one in Herefordshire

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally fell by 1,524, and those on in ventilation beds by 43.

The figures also show that 49 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Wye Valley NHS Trust in the week to April 17. This was up from 44 in the previous seven days.

Trust managing director Jane Ives told April's board meeting that most patients were being admitted with Covid rather than because of it.