Royal Surrey County Hospital Trust was caring for 44 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 March 22 was down from 45 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 38 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 32.

Across England there were 13,060 people in hospital with Covid as of March 22, with 269 of them in mechanical ventilation beds – though none were at Royal Surrey County Hospital Trust.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has increased by 46% in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 5%.

The figures also show that 45 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Royal Surrey County Hospital Trust in the week to March 20.

This was up from 42 in the previous seven days.