Covid cases among patients at east London hospitals are still rising, but at a slower rate than in previous weeks.

A total of 221 patients had laboratory-confirmed Covid across Queen’s Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital in Goodmayes as of Wednesday (January 12).

This is an increase on 210 cases recorded the previous Wednesday, and 182 on December 30.

Nineteen of the current Covid patients across the two hospitals are in critical care - the same number as last week, data from Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) shows.

Barts Health NHS Trust has a total 392 patients with confirmed Covid across its five hospitals, which include The Royal London in Whitechapel, Mile End Hospital and Newham Hospital in Plaistow.

This has risen from 379 a week earlier - January 6 - and 293 on December 30.

Trust data shows that of the current cases, 42 were being treated in critical care beds or receiving enhanced levels of oxygen as of Wednesday.

The latest government data for the NHS trust that runs Homerton University Hospital shows it had 99 confirmed Covid patients, including six on mechanical ventilation.