The weekly rate of new East London Covid cases has returned to mid-October levels, as the number of hospital patients dying also continues to fall.

A total of 40 Covid patients died in seven east London hospitals last week, compared to more than 150 in the second full week of January, when the second wave appeared to be at its peak.

Since February 8, the two NHS trusts that cover most of east London have confirmed 168 Covid deaths, including 47 deaths retroactively confirmed as Covid-related from previous weeks.

Yesterday, February 21, 22 people tested positive in Waltham Forest, 23 in Redbridge and 31 in Havering.

However, the number of patients in east London hospital is still far higher than before December and may take some weeks to fall.

Read more: Covid vaccine 'pop-up' at mosque encourages scared residents to get jab

Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs Whipps Cross and four other east London hospitals, had 362 Covid patients as of February 16, with more than 100 on ventilators.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT), which runs King George Hospital and Queen’s Hospital, had 179 patients on the same day and 23 on ventilation.

Figures published by the NHS last week show that around 40 per cent of Covid vaccines in east London have gone to Redbridge and Havering residents.

Havering has performed best at vaccinating the elderly, with its residents over 70 making up almost a third of those to have received a dose across east London.

Redbridge, however, has given out the most first and second doses of the vaccine, needed to provide proper protection against the virus.

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