FORTY-four patients are being treated for Covid across University Hospitals Dorset, according to latest data.

The NHS England figures show 44 people in hospital across Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch hospitals as of Tuesday, December 28.

Six patients required mechanical ventilation beds.  

Separate figures show six people were admitted to hospital on Christmas Day with five further patients on December 26.

The total number of patients being cared for by the trust is continuing to fall.

As of Tuesday, December 21, University Hospitals Dorset Trust was caring for 55 coronavirus patients.

And on December 3, there were 74 patients with Covid at UHD which was the highest seen over the month.

According to latest data on the government website, a total of 160 people were admitted to hospitals across the southwest on Wednesday, December 29, 2021.

That brings the total number of patients in hospital with Covid-19 across the region to 699 as of Friday, December 31.

A total of 58 of these are currently in mechanical ventilation beds.