MORE than 30 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus in Dorset last week, latest figures show.

Data released weekly by NHS England breaks down the number of people admitted to hospital for the first time with coronavirus, plus the number of patients diagnosed while in hospital.

Between October 12 and October 18, 29 patients were admitted to the care of the University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) Trust which includes the Royal Bournemouth Hospital as well as Christchurch and Poole Hospitals.

On October 17, nine people were admitted to UHD, the highest in the week.

Three people were admitted to the Dorset County Hospital in the same week, one on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

As of 8am on October 21, 44 hospital beds were occupied by hospital coronavirus patients in Dorset, according to Public Health Dorset.

The NHS England figures for bed occupants only show data up to and including October 20, when three patients at UHD were occupying mechanical ventilation beds.

Across the south west, 217 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus between October 12 and October 18, 5,009 across England.