ROYAL Devon and Exeter Trust was caring for 100 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Wednesday, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on October 12 was up from 90 on the same day the previous week.

There were 18 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.

Across England there were 10,608 people in hospital with Covid as of October 12, with 221 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 58%.

The figures also show that 107 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust in the week to October 10. This was up from 102 in the previous seven days.