THE number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals across the North-East and Yorkshire has confirmed admissions are steadily increasing. 

Since the beginning of the month more than 1,100 new hospital admissions have been reported, according to official Public Health England and NHS England data.

Earlier today, the Nightingale Hospital North East in Sunderland was named among three in the UK that were placed on standby due to a rise in Covid admissions.

READ MORE: Sunderland's Nightingale Hospital North East placed on standby after rise in Covid cases

During a Downing Street briefing, NHS England's professor Stephen Powis said there were now more patients in hospital with Covid that there were when the Government ordered lockdown in March. 

He said: “As the infection rate has begun to grow across the country, hospital infections have started to rise,” he told the briefing.

“It is clear that hospital admissions are rising fastest in those areas of the country where infection rates are highest, particularly the North-West."

But according to the latest Government published figures showing hospital admissions, more than 1,100 new patients have been admitted across the region this month.

It also shows there are currently 99 Covid-19 patients who are currently requiring a mechanical ventilation bed within the region.

Based on the coronavirus dashboard, which was last updated on October 11, the region has seen a total of 19,523 admissions since the outbreak began. 

Here's how many admissions have been reported in the North-East and Yorkshire this month:

October 9 - 146 

October 8 - 125 

October 7 - 140

October 6 - 161 

October 5 - 123

October 4 - 126

October 3 - 117 

October 2 - 100

October 1 - 88

Based on the same figures, one month prior hospital admissions for Covid-19 patients data shows how things have changed in the space of four weeks.

September 9 - 34

September 8 - 25 

September 7 - 17

September 6 - 10

September 5 - 9 

September 4 - 13

September 3 - 10

September 2 - 9

September 1 - 14 

READ MORE: Sunderland's Nightingale Hospital North East placed on standby after rise in Covid cases

England’s deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, said that while cases are rising fastest in the North of England, it is of “concern” that they are “heating up” in more parts of the country compared with a week ago.

Speaking at this morning's press briefing, Prof Van-Tam said other regions are now following the North West of England pattern where the virus moved through the age bands, having started spiking among young people at first.

"There is the spread from those younger age groups into the 60-plus age group in the North West and the North East, and there are rates of change in the same places but also extending a little further south,” he said.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to later today unveil new Covid-19 restrictions across England with the North-East expected to see some parts seeing tougher new measures from Wednesday.

READ MORE: North-East lockdown: Here is what's due to happen today