Royal Devon and Exeter Trust was caring for 39 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 December 7 was up from 36 on the same day the previous week.

There were 55 beds occupied by Covid-19 patients four weeks ago in Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust.

Across England there were 5,501 people in hospital with Covid as of December 7, with 119 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by 3% in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 21%.

The figures also show that 41 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust in the week to December 5. This was up from 37 in the previous seven days.