The number of people being treated at Suffolk and north Essex hospitals for coronavirus has continued to decrease in the past week, according to new figures.

The latest data, released by NHS England today, shows the number of people being treated by the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust - which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals - dropped by almost 29% in the last week.

On March 23, the trust had 41 Covid patients at its hospitals, compared to 29 on March 30.

There was also a very slight increase at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, which was treating four coronavirus patients on March 30 - up from two patients on March 23.

Most of the new admissions from March 23 to 30 were from the community, with 22 Covid-19 admissions during this period at Ipswich and Colchester Hospitals and two in the hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

The number of patients on ventilation in our hospitals has also dropped in the last week.

On March 30, there were two patients on ventilation at Colchester and Ipswich hospitals, while the number at West Suffolk Hospital is now zero as of March 30.

The number of patients occupying acute beds has continued to remain the same in West Suffolk, with three this week and last week.

The number did drop at ESNEFT, with 27 now in acute beds compared to 34 on March 23.

It was revealed last week that admissions of patients with coronavirus at Ipswich Hospital alone had dropped by 90% since the start of January.

Chief executive of the Ipswich and East Suffolk, West Suffolk and North Essex clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), Dr Ed Garratt, put the success down to the roll-out of the vaccination programme.

He also thanked healthcare workers, volunteers and the public for their work during the pandemic.

A total of 88% of people over 50 living in Ipswich have received the vaccine with Mid, East and West Suffolk and Babergh all at over 90% vaccinated as of March 28.