THE number of people needing hospital treatment for Covid-19 has fallen by nearly 100. 

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated at Southend, Basildon and Broomfield hospitals for coronavirus by March 2 was 173. 

That's down from 267 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 has decreased by 70 per cent in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 571.

Across England there were 10,121 people in hospital with Covid as of March 2, with 1,556 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised nationally has decreased by 63% in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has decreased by 53%.

The figures also show that 106 new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in the week to February 28. This was down from 188 in the previous seven days.

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Despite the encouraging picture, another five Covid deaths have been announced at the three hospitals today. 

All five happened between February 16 and March 3. 

It takes the total number of coronavirus-related deaths at the mid and south Essex trust to 295. 

Daily death counts are revised each day, with each case backdated to the actual date of death. This means some of the deaths that were first recorded in the latest period may actually have taken place days earlier.

NHS England guidance states: "Confirmation of Covid-19 diagnosis, death notification and reporting in central figures can take up to several days and the hospitals providing the data are under significant operational pressure."

Only deaths that occur in hospitals where the patient has tested positive for Covid-19 are recorded, with deaths in the community excluded, such as those in care homes.