Responding to the latest official COVID-19 infection figures, NHS Providers' interim chief executive, Saffron Cordery, said:

"The steady uptick in COVID-19 infections is causing concern among trust leaders, with new admissions soaring by a third over the past week.

"It is also worrying that there are now nearly 10,000 people in hospital with COVID-19 – also nearly up by a third from last week – with the number of patients on ventilators also creeping up.

"With increased NHS staff absences due to COVID-19 and the health and care system bracing itself for a possible 'twindemic' of COVID-19 and flu, we would urge everyone who is offered a COVID-19 booster or flu vaccine to have their jabs.

"This will help combat the risk of serious illness while also helping health services make progress on waiting lists and care backlogs during what is expected to be an extremely busy winter."