Great Western Hospital was caring for 38 coronavirus patients in hospital as of Tuesday, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on September 21 was down from 39 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 31 per cent in the past four weeks.

28 days ago, there were 29 beds being occupied by Covid patients.

Across England there were 5,543 people in hospital with Covid as of September 21, with 774 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by six per cent in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 10 per cent.

The figures also show that 52 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the week to September 19.

This was down from 53 patients in the previous seven days.

Since the pandemic began, 345 patients have died at Great Western Hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.