Latest figures show there are more than 400 Covid-19 patients receiving treatment in hospitals across the North East.
Nationally, the number of deaths involving Covid-19 registered each week in England and Wales has risen for the fifth week in a row, but levels continue to remain well below those seen in the early part of the pandemic.
A total of 745 deaths registered in the seven days to July 22 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This is up 27 per cent on the previous week and is the highest number since the seven days to April 29.
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The upward trend reflects the recent wave of Covid-19 infections caused by the spread of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.
The wave is now thought to have peaked, but it is likely to be a few weeks before the death figures start to level off.
Here are the number of patients with Covid-19 in our region’s hospitals as of July 26:
County Durham and Darlington Trust
89 patients - down from 111 on the same day the previous week.
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Trust
20 patients - down from 35 on the same day the previous week.
North Tees and Hartlepool Trust
73 patients - down from 80 on the same day the previous week.
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Trust
135 patients - in line with the same day the previous week.
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust
105 patients - down from 114 on the same day the previous week.
Combined total of patients = 422
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