Covid hospital admissions in London reach highest daily total since February

Covid hospital admissions in London reached a high not recorded since February on Monday as the capital grapples with a surge in infections.

A total of 301 Covid-19 admissions were recorded by hospitals in London on 20 December, NHS England said, up 78% week-on-week and the highest number for a single day since 7 February.

Separate figures from NHS England show that 2,036 people were in hospital in London with Covid-19 as of December 22, the highest number since February 27 and is up 48% from a week earlier.

Admissions in London during the second wave peaked at 977 on 6 January.

Across England, 1,061 admissions were recorded on 20 December, up 34% week-on-week and the highest number for a single day since 19 February.

The second-wave peak was 4,134 admissions on 12 January.

The number of Covid-19 admissions includes people admitted to hospital in the previous 24 hours who were known to have Covid-19, plus any patients diagnosed in hospital with Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours.

During the second wave of coronavirus, the number peaked at 7,917 on January 18.

Across England, 7,080 patients were in hospital with Covid-19 on December 22 – the highest number since 5 November and up 11% week-on-week.

The second-wave peak for England was 34,336 on January 18.