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

"The NHS is still under pressure from COVID-19 as an estimated one in 30 people in England test positive and more than 10,000 are in hospital with the virus – almost double the number of patients this time last year.

"Trust leaders remain alert to the need to protect the most vulnerable patients. Although new hospital admissions are down slightly in the last week, the virus is still a threat with more than 900 deaths in a week.

"A possible combination of COVID-19 and flu waves would heap even more pressure on already overstretched NHS and social care services as we head into an extremely busy winter.

"To reduce the risk of serious illness trust leaders continue to urge those eligible for a COVID-19 booster or flu vaccine to get jabbed."