Mid and South Essex Trust - which runs Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals - was caring for 757 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 January 19 was down from 886 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 increased by 44.74 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 523.

Across England there were 34,015 people in hospital with Covid as of January 19, with 3,603 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised has increased by 88% nationally in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 169%.

The figures also show that 706 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in the week to January 17. This was down from 810 in the previous seven days.

It comes after Boris Johnson said the 38,562 Covid patients in hospital is 78 per cent higher than in the first peak in April.

The Prime Minister told the Downing Street press conference: “It’s more important than ever that we all remain vigilant in following the rules and that we stay at home, protect the NHS and thereby save lives.”

He added: “All current evidence continues to show that both the vaccines we’re currently using remain effective both against the old variant and this new variant.”

The Prime Minister said the most important way of getting a grip on infection numbers was for the public to obey the lockdown rules.

Asked why tougher rules were not being brought in to combat the Kent Covid variant, he told a Downing Street press conference: “We are enforcing the law very stringently with increasing toughness.

“We will do it, we will enforce the law to ensure people don’t engage in activities which will mean mass transmission of the disease, or substantial transmission of the disease.

“But it depends on all of us, everybody watching, doing the right thing, avoiding transmission.

“That is far more powerful and far more effective against stopping the transmission of this virus than police action or new laws from the Government.”