Royal Devon and Exeter Trust was caring for 46 patients with coronavirus in hospital as of Wednesday, figures show.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital with Covid-19 by 8am on March 8 was down from 65 on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased in the last four weeks – 28 days ago, there were 70.

Across England there were 7,655 people in hospital with Covid as of March 8, with 166 of them in mechanical ventilation beds.

Nationally, the number of hospital patients with Covid-19 has increased by 20% in the last four weeks, while the number on mechanical ventilators has increased by 42%.

The figures also show that 42 new patients with Covid were admitted to hospital in Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust in the week to March 6. This was down from 77 in the previous seven days.