Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust cares for 55 Covid-19 patients in hospital

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust was caring for 55 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on October 19 was down from 75 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 34% in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 41.

Across England there were 10,387 people in hospital with Covid as of October 19, with 206 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has more than doubled in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 42%.

The figures also show that 23 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in the week to October 17. This was down from 40 in the previous seven days.