COVID hospitalisations in England exceed January peak amid record high infections

The number of people being admitted to hospitals in England with COVID is higher than during the Omicron peak in January, new figures show.

The news comes amid record levels of infection in the community, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Some 4,122,700 people – amounting to one in 13 – in England are estimated to have had COVID in the week ending 26 March.

Government figures show the soaring number of infections is being reflected in hospital admissions.

In England, the seven-day average for daily COVID hospital admissions reached 2,115 on 28 March, exceeding the 1 January peak of 2,040 admissions.

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Over the last seven days in England, over 14,600 people were admitted to hospital with COVID-19. There are currently more than 16,400 patients receiving treatment.

Figures are still well below the January 2021 peak which saw the seven-day daily average of COVID hospital admissions reach 3,718.

Cases have been rising sharply recently as the government moved to end practically all COVID-19 restrictions in England.

On Monday the government ended free lateral flow tests for most people in England, saying the £2bn per month price tag was "unsustainable."

Self-isolation rules have been relaxed from a legal requirement to guidance.

Support payments for people who are unable to work because of COVID have also ended.

Watch: How can I get lateral flow tests from today and how much do they cost?

Professor Christina Pagel, Director of Clinical Operational Research Unit at UCL, said the ending of free tests at a time when cases are sky-high was "terrible."

She said: "It will lead to more short term harm but also much more long COVID - and more chances for mutation."

Psychology Professor Stephen Reicher, from the University of St Andrews, said since the requirement to self-isolate had been lifted "the proportion of infected people who aren't isolating has almost doubled from 20% to 35%."

He noted this was probably a considerable underestimate of the problem.

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He added: "Large numbers of infected people going out and circulating in the community is the best possible way of keeping the pandemic going."

Last week health secretary Sajid Javid said people must “learn to live with COVID” as he responded to criticism around the end of free testing.

He said: "We are one of the most open and free countries in the world now, and that’s because of decisions that we’ve taken as a country… and it is right also as we learn to live with COVID that we withdraw free testing – universally… if it’s not needed anymore, but we focus those resources on the people that need it most. And that’s what we’re doing."